PARIS, April 18 — French President Emmanuel Macron said today that Pope Francis would at an undetermined time visit France, a country plunged into sorrow this week by a catastrophic fire at the Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral.

"I spoke to the Pope yesterday by telephone. I obviously invited him to come over, and he will come at a time of his suiting,” Macron said.

Earlier this week, Pope Francis expressed his sorrow over the blaze and thanked rescuers who put their lives at risk to salvage the centuries-old cathedral and its priceless artefacts. He said he was eager to see it restored.

The Vatican has said it is willing to offer restoration expertise to help rebuild the fire-damaged landmark. — Reuters