Pope Francis Schedules September Trip to Belgium

Brussels (Brussels Morning) – Pope Francis will visit Belgium from September 26-29, after Luxembourg. The trip marks his first visit to Belgium, including stops in Brussels, Leuven, and Louvain-la-Neuve, celebrating the 600th anniversary of the Catholic University of Leuven.

The actual dates for Pope Francis’ first visit to Belgium have been verified for September this year. He will first visit neighbouring country Luxembourg before driving stops in Brussels, Leuven and Louvain-la-Neuve.

Why is Pope Francis visiting Belgium in September?

At the end of last year, the Pope conveyed his desire to travel to Belgium in recognition of the 600th anniversary of the Catholic University of Leuven. More concrete programs were announced earlier this year, including a likely visit to the Koekelberg Basilica in Brussels. On Monday, the programs became official as the Holy See Press Office announced Pope Francis will be driving his “Apostolic Journey” to Luxembourg and Belgium from 26 September to 29 September 2024.

“Accepting the invitation of the respective Heads of State and Church authorities, the Holy Father Francis will make an Apostolic Journey to Luxembourg on 26 September, and to Belgium from 26 to 29 September,” a statement from the Press Office read.

The full agenda will be made available when finalised, the Press Office said. At the start of September, the Pope will be travelling to Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Timor Leste and Singapore – his longest-ever journey. 

When Did the Pope Last Visit Belgium? 

This marks the first time Pope Francis will visit Belgium. The last papal visit to the country was in 1995 when Pope John Paul II journeyed here to beatify Father Damien, but this visit was limited to Brussels.

A decade earlier, in 1985, the same Pope carried out a more comprehensive tour of the country, including stops in Leuven, Namur, Beauraing, Antwerp, Banneux, Liège and Mechelen.

The news of a papal visit to Belgium generated mixed reactions in the context of a Catholic Church mired in scandal, especially following appalling disclosures of the VRT documentary Godvergeten (which roughly translates to ‘Godforsaken’). Several politicians and nationals have called on Rome to vigorously sanction perpetrators and concealers of sexual abuse in the Church.

In particular, Prime Minister Alexander De Croo has repeatedly requested the Vatican to strip disgraced Belgian bishop Roger Vangheluwe of his crown ahead of the visit. Vangheluwe resigned from his position as bishop of Bruges in 2010 after confessing to manipulating his underage cousin for years. De Croo said that stripping his title was necessary to ensure the “smooth running” of the trip.