Pope Leo XIV's Speech from the Élysée • FRANCE 24 English

Sep 25, 2026 | Watch the replay of Pope Leo XIV's address in french at the Élysée Palace on 25 September, where he spoke about peace, artificial intelligence, France's challenges and the importance of solidarity. The pontiff also condemned gestational surrogacy, calling for greater protection of human dignity during the first day of his four-day visit to France.

Interesting factsL

Pope Leo XIV has significant French roots, with genealogical estimates suggesting he is roughly 40 percent French.

Though born Robert Francis Prevost in Chicago, United States, genealogical research shows that he has deep French connections on both sides of his family tree:

1. Paternal Lineage: His surname "Prevost" (originally Prévost) is of French origin. His paternal grandmother, Suzanne Louise Fontaine, was born in Le Havre, Normandy, France, in 1894, and his paternal great-grandmother was also French.

2 Maternal Lineage: Through his mother's side (stemming from Louisiana Creole heritage), he possesses both French-Canadian and French Caribbean lineage, including colonial settlers who emigrated from France to New France in the 17th century as well as free people of color with historical ties to French colonial Louisiana.

Source: Google AI