Plans are taking shape for a possible papal visit to Monaco at the end of March, according to sources in the Vatican. Pope Leo XIV is said to be considering a brief stop in the Principality next month, following an invitation from His Serene Highness Prince Albert II. While no official confirmation has been issued, discussions are reportedly under way.
If the visit goes ahead, it would be a short round trip from the Vatican, completed within a single day. For the 70-year-old pontiff, elected in May 2025, the journey would mark only his second appearance abroad since becoming head of the Catholic Church — and a historic first, as no pope has made an official visit to Monaco in modern times.
Monaco, home to around 39,000 people and covering just two square kilometres, is the world’s second-smallest state after Vatican City. Though Catholicism remains the state religion, the Principality has gradually evolved socially and legally, with civil unions for same-sex couples permitted and abortion decriminalised through access to medical services in neighbouring France.
A stop in Monaco would form part of a wider year of travel expected for Pope Leo XIV. Several international visits are being discussed, including a tour of African nations after Easter, potentially encompassing Algeria, Angola, Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea. Trips to Peru — where the Pope spent more than two decades as a missionary and later became a citizen — and Spain are also under consideration for later in the year.
As with all papal travel, final details are likely to remain provisional until close to departure. Vatican officials traditionally confirm visits only weeks in advance, once logistical and security arrangements are complete. Should the Monaco visit be confirmed, it would represent a rare and symbolically significant moment for the Principality.
Image courtesy of the Vatican