Historic first: Pope Leo XIV to visit Monaco on March 28

On Wednesday, February 25, the Prince’s Palace announced the pontiff’s visit to the Principality, a few weeks after the possibility was raised by the Holy See Press Office.

It all began on January 17, when Prince Albert II traveled to the Vatican to meet the new pope. On that occasion, Prince Albert II officially invited Leo XIV to visit Monaco. A few weeks later, in early February, the Holy See Press Office told journalists that the project was indeed under consideration, without specifying the final details. The Sovereign Prince’s office has now made the news official: Pope Leo XIV will make an apostolic visit to Monaco on Saturday, March 28.

No pope has ever visited the world’s second smallest state. However, Monaco’s attachment to the new pontiff is part of a tradition of respectful diplomatic relations and historically strong ties with the Holy See. Catholicism is the state religion, and it was precisely under the pontificate of Pope Leo XIII that Monaco gained religious autonomy with the creation of its own diocese in 1887. A symbolic detail that is sure to resonate: the current Leo XIV chose his papal name in reference to Leo XIII, known for his teachings on social justice. “The Principality draws on this spiritual heritage as an essential foundation of its identity, unity, and the continuity of its institutions, while embracing a dynamic of openness and adaptation to the contemporary world,” according to a statement released by the Prince’s Palace. Prince Albert II and Princess Charlene will welcome the head of the Catholic Church together.

Prince Albert II of Monaco conveys congratulations to Pope Leo XIV

Elected on May 8, 2025, Leo XIV made his first trips abroad to Turkey and then Lebanon at the end of last year. Monaco will be his second international trip in 2026, while the pontiff has also expressed a desire to visit Algeria, which he considers a land of dialogue between Christians and Muslims through the figure of St. Augustine.