# Pope Leo the Fourteenth will travel to France on Friday for the first formal papal visit there in nearly 20 years, with the Catholic Church’s abuse crisis among the key issues. The Pope is due to meet seven survivors of abuse by Catholic clergy during a private meeting in Lourdes. A 2021 independent report estimated that about 330-thousand children were abused in France over seven decades. Leo will also visit Paris and Metz, where he is expected to address issues including artificial intelligence, peace and European unity.
Pope Leo heads to France amid abuse crisis