对于现代教皇而言，法国一直是个失望。尽管历史至少可追溯至496年克洛维一世在兰斯受洗，但教会与国家的关系却因法国大革命而破裂，且从未完全修复。
For modern popes, France has been a disappointment. Notwithstanding a history that dates at least to the baptism of Clovis I in Reims in 496, the relationship between church and state was ruptured by the French Revolution and has never fully recovered. The extreme secular ideology that today characterizes France, known as laïcité, is one fruit of that revolution.
如今法国所奉行的极端世俗意识形态——即政教分离原则，便是那场革命的产物之一。
For modern popes, France has been a disappointment. Notwithstanding a history that dates at least to the baptism of Clovis I in Reims in 496, the relationship between church and state was ruptured by the French Revolution and has never fully recovered. The extreme secular ideology that today characterizes France, known as laïcité, is one fruit of that revolution.
教皇利奥十四世受到的热烈欢迎表明，这种状况可能正在发生变化，这种变化既反映了法国历史，也关乎人类存在与目的等更普遍的问题。迹象已现，尤其是有80万人聚集巴黎参加教皇弥撒。看来教皇利奥对现代法国的意义，是鲜少有人预料到的。
Pope Leo XIV’s warm reception suggests this may be changing in ways that reflect French history and more universal questions about man’s being and purpose. The signs are there, notably the 800,000 people who turned out for a papal Mass in Paris. It seems Pope Leo has a relevance to modern France few anticipated.