Macron Says French Secularism Is Not a 'Negation of Religion' in Speech Alongside Pope Leo XIV

French President Emmanuel Macron delivered remarks alongside Pope Leo XIV at the Elysee Palace on Friday, September 25, during the first day of the pope's visit to France, according to France 24.

In his address, Macron said that laicite, France's constitutional principle of secularism separating religious and state affairs, is "in no way the negation of religion." He expressed hope that the pope would encounter "a France still searching for the universal, an emancipated, diverse and united France," France 24 reported.

The remarks came as Pope Leo XIV began a four-day visit to France, a trip described by French broadcasters as highly anticipated among the country's Catholic faithful. France 24's coverage did not specify further details of the pope's itinerary beyond the initial Elysee reception, nor did it elaborate on additional remarks made during the exchange between the two leaders.

France's principle of laicite, enshrined in a 1905 law separating church and state, has long been a subject of domestic and international discussion, particularly regarding its application to religious minorities and public expressions of faith. Macron's remarks framing secularism as compatible with, rather than opposed to, religious life reflect a recurring theme in French political discourse about the country's relationship with religion.

Pope Leo XIV's visit follows his elevation to the papacy and represents one of his early foreign trips in that role. The pope has said he intends to use the visit to "proclaim peace," according to France 24's reporting, though further specifics of his planned engagements were not detailed in the available report.