Pope trip to Luxembourg, Belgium confirmed for September, 2 weeks after challenging Asia visit
ROME (AP) — Pope Francis has added a stop in Luxembourg to a trip to Belgium in September, a three-day visit that will come as he is recovering from a much longer and challenging trip to Asia.
The Vatican on Monday announced the Sept. 26-29 dates of the planned trip, saying Francis would first stop in Luxembourg and then travel onto Brussels, Leuven and Louvain-la-Neuve in Belgium.
Belgium’s bishops had previously announced that Francis was coming to celebrate the 600th anniversary of the country’s two main Catholic universities. Francis’ stop in Luxembourg is apparently something of a nod to Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich, the Jesuit archbishop of Luxembourg who is playing a major role in Francis’ big synod, a years-long reform project for the Catholic Church.
The Luxembourg and Belgium visit is scheduled to begin less than two weeks after Francis returns from the longest and most challenging foreign trip of his pontificate, a Sept. 2-13 voyage to Indonesia, East Timor, Papua New Guinea and Singapore.
Related articles
Hollywood star Shia LaBeouf is spotted on the streets of Gavin and Stacey's hometown Barry
Hollywood star Shia LaBeouf has shocked onlookers after being spotted on the streets of Barry in Wal2024-05-21Trump to stand trial on 25 March in New York criminal hush money case
The judge says Donald Trump's trial in New York will last up to six weeks. Photo: AFP2024-05-21EDITORIAL: Diet ethics panels failing to unravel the tangled LDP funding scandal
Two weeks after it was held in the Lower House, the Deliberative Council on Political Ethics was fin2024-05-21AUKUS a military pact designed to contain China, says Labour
Labour Party associate foreign affairs spokesperson Phil Twyford is questioning New Zealand's plans2024-05-21Pentagon vows to keep weapons moving to Ukraine as Kyiv faces a renewed assault by Russia
WASHINGTON (AP) — Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin committed Monday to keeping U.S. weapons moving to2024-05-21More recovered possessions returned to victims of Wellington's Loafers Lodge fire
Five people died in the fire at the multi-storey budget accommodation on Adelaide Road in Wellington2024-05-21
atest comment