On the second day of his visit to France, the head of the Catholic Church visited the Maison Bakhita center. This center is named after the Sudanese saint Josephine Bakita, who was a slave, and since 2019 has been accepting migrants and refugees of various nationalities and confessions in the 18th arrondissement of Paris, one of the capital's districts with the largest number of foreigners.
He stated that the history of the Church and humanity 'is not written by those who create an impression of victory by imposing their presence and occupying space, but by those who 'give space,' establish processes of peace, build trust, and encourage life.'
According to representatives of the center, this visit carries an important message shortly before the presidential elections in France, where the topic of immigration is expected to become central to the debates once again.
Since his election as Pope in May 2025, Robert Francis Prevoet has regularly called for the protection of the dignity of refugees and displaced persons, without shying away from criticizing the immigration policy of US President Donald Trump.
A solemn mass is scheduled for today, which the Pope will lead in the Place de la Concorde and on the Champs-Élysées (at 2:00 PM Lisbon time), where about 600,000 faithful are expected under heavy security.