“That the world may have life.” With this motto, Pope Leo XIV will make his Apostolic Journey to France from 25 to 28 September. Yet it is perhaps in Metz, on the final day of the journey, that the message takes on a particularly European significance.
In Metz, the Pope will take part in an interreligious meeting before joining the gathering “To the Roots of Europe for Peace and Unity” at the Robert Schuman Conference Centre. The choice of Metz is deeply symbolic: the city is closely associated with Robert Schuman, one of the founding fathers of European integration, whose vision of Europe was rooted in reconciliation, cooperation and peace.
You can follow the gathering “To the Roots of Europe for Peace and Unity” directly on the Vatican YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=03pYP2Nmreo
The two encounters place interreligious dialogue and the future of Europe side by side. At a time when Europe faces new divisions and uncertainties, Pope Leo’s presence in Metz is a reminder that peace and unity are built through encounter — by listening to one another, recognizing our shared dignity and seeking the common good.
This message resonates strongly with the mission of the Chapel for Europe. At the heart of the European Quarter in Brussels, the Chapel seeks to be a space for reflection, spirituality and dialogue, bringing together people from different churches, cultures and backgrounds. Its mission includes ecumenical cooperation, interreligious initiatives and reflection on questions concerning Europe, faith and society.
In this sense, Metz and Brussels are connected by a shared vocation: to nurture dialogue, to build bridges across differences and to ask what kind of Europe we want to build together.
From Metz to Brussels, the call is clear: Europe needs places where its people can meet, listen, pray and rediscover what unites them.