Macron Highlights Europe’s Judeo-Christian Roots as Pope Leo Visits France

French President Emmanuel Macron has invoked Europe’s “Greco-Roman and Judeo-Christian foundation” during an appearance with Pope Leo XIV in Metz, highlighting the continent’s religious and cultural heritage while calling for greater unity in the face of war, social division and disinformation.

Macron made the remarks on Monday at a meeting titled “At the Roots of Europe for Peace and Unity” at the Robert Schuman Congress Centre in Metz, the French city associated with Robert Schuman, one of the founding figures of European integration.

“Our Europe … is above all a civilisation,” Macron said, describing Europe’s cities, villages, schools, universities, cafés and public spaces as having been built on Greco-Roman and Judeo-Christian foundations.

The reference to Christianity was notable because France is constitutionally secular and has long had political and public debates over the place of religion and faith in national life. Macron nevertheless linked Europe’s historical heritage to concepts including the primacy of the individual and the development of European political and social institutions.

Macron also warned that European democracy faces threats beyond conventional warfare. He pointed to Russia’s war in Ukraine as well as social fragmentation and online manipulation, arguing that digital algorithms can amplify negative emotions and deepen divisions within society.

He urged Europeans to resist divisive nationalism and defended the European Union as a political project founded on peace and equality among its members.

Pope Leo, who was concluding a four-day apostolic visit to France, also focused on Europe’s historical roots and the role of dialogue in preventing further conflict.

In his address in Metz, Leo highlighted the influence of Christianity on European civilisation and referred to figures such as Saint Benedict and Robert Schuman. He said Christian traditions had contributed to European approaches to education, healthcare, law, work and the dignity of the individual.

The Pope also connected Europe’s historical experience to contemporary challenges, urging Europeans to rediscover their roots while remaining open to other cultures. He presented reconciliation and dialogue as central to overcoming divisions that have repeatedly produced conflict on the continent.

Leo’s visit has also included calls for peace in relation to the war in Ukraine. During his final day in France, he urged negotiators seeking to end the conflict to be prepared to make concessions, while warning against a cycle of military escalation and confrontation.

The Pope’s visit has attracted large public crowds. Earlier in the trip, Vatican officials said about 80,000 young people attended a prayer vigil, while hundreds of thousands gathered for an open-air Mass in Paris.

Macron and Leo’s meeting in Metz therefore brought together questions of European identity, Christianity, democratic values and the continent’s response to war. While Macron emphasised Europe’s historical foundations and the need to protect democracy from fragmentation and manipulation, Leo urged Europeans to draw on their history to promote reconciliation, solidarity and peace.