Macron visits Pope Leo XIV

French President Emmanuel Macron met Pope Leo xiv in the Vatican for the first time on Friday. The two leaders talked about ongoing conflicts, particularly the war in the Middle East, and, according to the Vatican, their “hope that peaceful coexistence can be reestablished through dialogue and negotiations.” Based on its history, the Vatican is more interested in power and conflict than it might seem, and a French leader discussing aims for the Middle East foreshadows the future violent involvement of a Catholic-guided European superpower in the region.