Pope Leo XIV questions Emmanuel Macron's absence at his first Mass service
Emmanuel Macron, France's President, will be skipping the Vatican on May 18th for the initial mass of Pope Leo XIV. Instead, France's PM, François Bayrou, will represent the country at the religious event in St. Peter's Basilica.
Mark your calendars for May 18th, as the Pope Leo XIV's pontificate is set to commence in the Vatican. With the world once again focusing on the Vatican city, numerous heads of state are expected to be present. However, Emmanuel Macron, the French President, won't be among them. Instead, France will be represented by François Bayrou, the Prime Minister.
While this Mass signifies an essential moment in the Pope's nomination and an international diplomatic gathering, Macron's absence raises eyebrows. His absence may be attributed to tradition, as it is usually the Prime Minister who attends the first mass.
It is worth noting that while Pope Leo XIV will allegedly receive a salary of around $33,800 per month (or $405,600 annually), his predecessor, Pope Francis, chose to forego such earnings in the pursuit of a simpler lifestyle. It remains uncertain whether Pope Leo XIV will follow suit.
In previous years, Prime Ministers like Jean-Marc Ayrault and Jean-Pierre Raffarin represented France at such ceremonies, while the French presidents have been present at the funerals of John Paul II, Benedict XVI, and Francis I. With François Bayrou set to attend, it's possible that Jean-Noël Barrot, the current Minister of Foreign Affairs, could also join him in Rome. Previous ministers, such as Michel Barnier, have attended these events alongside the Prime Minister.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is also confirmed to attend the inaugural mass of Pope Leo XIV, making it a truly international event.
Keywords: Pope Leo XIV, Pope, Church, Religion
Considers the upcoming pontificate of Pope Leo XIV, with multiple heads of state expected to be present at the May 18th inaugural mass in the Vatican. Despite this, Emmanuel Macron, France's President, will not attend, instead, François Bayrou, the Prime Minister, will represent France in St. Peter's Basilica. Political debates around the general-news sphere question the significance of Macron's absence, given that French Prime Ministers have traditionally attended the first mass of a new Pope.
