By Junno Arocho Esteves, OSV News
OSV News – Pope Leo XIV, the head of the world’s smallest state, may make a brief visit to Monaco, the world’s second-smallest state, this year, the Vatican confirmed.
Responding to journalists’ questions on Feb. 10, the Vatican press office confirmed that a possible one-day visit to Monaco would take place at the end of March, Vatican News reported.
While the Vatican said a trip could happen at the end of March, sources within the palace remained cautious.
Riviera Radio, an English-language radio station in Monaco, reported that although the palace confirmed that an invitation was extended, it was awaiting an official confirmation from the Vatican “before making an announcement.
“It could be late March, or April or June,” the palace source told Riviera Radio.
If confirmed, the visit would be the Pope’s second trip of his pontificate as well as the first visit to Monaco by a pontiff in modern history.
Pope Leo XIV met with Prince Albert II of Monaco at the Vatican Jan. 17. During that meeting, they “focused on some topics of mutual interest, such as care for the environment, humanitarian aid, and the defence and promotion of human dignity,” the Vatican said.
Roman Catholicism is the official state religion of Monaco and, according to the U.S. State Department, the majority of the principality’s population is Catholic, at 82%.
According to several local news reports in Monaco, Prince Albert formally invited the Pope to visit the principality during his meeting at the Vatican.
The Vatican’s confirmation came as several announcements regarding the Pope’s possible travels in 2026 have been made over the past few weeks.
Although papal trips to Spain, Angola, Algeria and Peru are seemingly in the works, Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni confirmed Feb. 8 that Pope Leo would not be visiting his homeland this year.
“The Pope will not be going to the United States in 2026,” Bruni said in response to journalists’ questions.
Junno Arocho Esteves is an international correspondent for OSV News. Follow him on X @jae_journalist.
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