Pope's France visit budget rises to 27 million euros; Church appeals for donations

The Catholic Church in France has revised the budget for Pope Francis's upcoming three-day visit to Paris, Metz, and Lourdes to 27 million euros and has launched a public donation appeal to cover the costs. The French Bishops' Conference stated the revised amount covers all organizational expenses, including logistics, security, and site preparations, citing increased costs due to high demand. Over 700,000 people are already registered, with nearly 2,500 journalists accredited, and Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez has announced a security plan mobilizing up to 15,000 officers. The visit, scheduled for September 25-28, includes events such as a vigil at the Stade de France for 80,000 people and a mass in Paris for 500,000. The Church has already collected nearly 5.5 million euros from public donations, with additional funding expected from corporate sponsorship and on-site giving via SMS and QR codes.