Pope Leo XIV left for Rome on Monday evening after a historic four-day visit to France that sparked huge enthusiasm.
The American pope was escorted to the airport in the eastern city of Metz by President Emmanuel Macron, who saw him off after the pope wrapped up a trip that also took him to Paris and Lourdes.
“We’re sad that he’s leaving, but happy that everything went well,” Macron said.
On Sunday evening, Macron reversed an earlier decision not to attend the Pope’s final Mass at Metz Cathedral. He had not been present for any of the Masses held during the pontiff’s four-day visit.
France’s principle of “laïcité”, which enshrines a strict separation between the Church and state, has previously sparked debate over whether the country’s head of state should attend a papal Mass.
An ‘incredibly moving’ visit for the faithful in Metz
Inès, who drove five hours from the northern French town of Rouen to see the Pope in Metz, told Euronews that she felt “incredibly moved” seeing him in his popemobile.
“I felt so emotional, it was truly touching. The fact that we were all able to come together in this shared experience, creating a sense of community, is very special”, she said.
Meanwhile, sisters Antonia and Marie, who travelled from the wider area to see the Pope’s parade, said that the messages he delivered about the importance of peace on the European continent, were deeply moving.
“In the times that the world is facing it made us feel heard and gave us hope to keep going.”