VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Pope Leo will travel to France from September 25 to 28, the Vatican announced on Saturday.
He will visit the Paris headquarters of UNESCO, which faces budget shortfalls after the United States withdrew last year.
The first U.S. pope, who marked one year leading the Church on May 8, has been ramping up his schedule.
He has drawn ire from U.S. President Donald Trump after criticizing the Iran war.
Trump's decision to withdraw from UNESCO resulted in an 8% budget loss for the agency.
French bishops earlier this month said the pope was likely to travel to France in September, including Paris and Lourdes.
However, they did not indicate UNESCO would be part of the itinerary.
During the trip, Pope Leo may celebrate mass at the famed Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris, which reopened in 2024 after a devastating fire.
UNESCO designated the cathedral as a World Heritage site in 1991.
The trip to France will be Leo's fourth outside Italy this year, following visits to Africa, Monaco, and Spain.
The Vatican said a more detailed program for the French visit would be announced later.
Leo is expected to meet with French President Emmanuel Macron and may address the French parliament.
