## 38 Pope

During the last week, Pope Leo XIV was visiting France in Paris, Lourdes and Metz. I am baptized; I was an atheist and became an agnostic. I have many things to tell about Catholic religion and the way it "works", the issues of pedophilia, and other forms of sexual violence. I am aware of French hypocrisy concerning *laïcité* (secularism)—a two-tiered system that often places the Catholic Church above the laws enacted in 1905. This is particularly evident among right-wing politicians, who seem to have forgotten the very texts they hold sacred! Especially regarding the poor, foreigners, fraternity, and love.

I'm also aware of what that Pope said about Euthanasia, about euthanasia, abortion, and other subjeects like that. But it was a very special moment in France. Not because you could see the pope on every news network during hours. But he brought joy, happiness, peace for maybe a million people in the streets to see him, people from all over the world. I have listened to his speeches — they were very meaningful and contained telling references to the global situation and the state of affairs in France. He seems to be more like John-Paul II but less conservative, trying to influence the course of the world during these dark times.

Of course, I am also critical of the cost of such an event—that massive deployment of security resources that comes at a price, even while boosting our tourism profile. He is not just a religious leader but a head of state—very different from the others. You won't see Donald Trump or Xi Jin Ping walking through thousand people in a stadium in a foreign country. And even the Dalai Lama will not have such an event. Other big religions don't have leaders...sometimes it's better, sometimes not. I must admit that I was fascinated by those moments. I have visited many churches, temples and sacred sites for several religions. It's always something special. I don't like how capitalism has taken over these places, relegating the spiritual to the background.

I would like to visit Jerusalem or Mecca but I'm not sure it will be easy in the future. I would like to see Lourdes (I only visited a part of the city...) and St. James of Compostela before the end of my life. I think there will be another Pope and I'm not sure he will visit France in the next 20 years. Who knows...?!

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