Emmanuel Macron evoked the “Greco-Roman” and “Judeo-Christian” foundations of Europe in a speech delivered alongside Pope Leo

President of France Emmanuel Macron said on Monday in Metz that Europe was built on a “Greco-Roman” and “Judeo-Christian” foundation. The statement was made in a speech delivered alongside Pope Leo XIV during the pontiff’s visit to France.

Macron said that the continent’s heritage contributed to the formation of the “primacy of the person” and, subsequently, of the free and rational individual.

“Our Europe is, above all, a civilization,” the French leader said, referring to European cities, educational institutions, squares, and public spaces.

The French president warned that peace, truth, and democracy are threatened by Russia’s war in Ukraine, nationalism, social division, and online manipulation. He called on Europeans to combat disinformation and argued that algorithms amplify negative emotions.

Macron attended the last service officiated by Pope Leo in Metz, after missing other religious services during the visit.