Pope Francis revealed in an interview with Televisa that next year he will make a few trips, one of which should be to Belgium to celebrate the 600th anniversary of the Catholic University of Louvain. This news came somewhat unexpectedly in Belgium, where the rectors of the Dutch and French sections of the University of Louvain (independent entities since 1968) had sent an invitation to the Pope earlier this year.
The Bishops of the Belgian Episcopal Conference expressed their joy upon hearing Pope Francis’s intention to visit their country for this milestone anniversary in 2025. They are very favorable to this proposal and have officially invited Pope Francis for a pastoral visit to the Church in Belgium, hoping for a visit of one or two days.
Archbishop Franco Coppola, the Apostolic Nuncio to Belgium and Luxembourg, also shared his immense joy at the announcement of the Pope’s visit.
UC Louvain stated that the two universities (UC Louvain and KU Leuven) were “founded as a single entity in 1425, and in 2025, they plan to celebrate their past and more importantly, their innovation and future. Pope Francis’s visit will provide a unique opportunity to exchange views on today’s societal priorities, particularly ecological and social transition and migration.”
Archbishop Luc Terlinden of Malines-Brussels told Cathobel (the official portal of the Belgian Episcopal Conference) that the Pope’s decision is a fraternal sign to encourage the life of the Church in Belgium and to visit the country. The Pope’s desire is not only to celebrate the universities’ 600th anniversary but also to meet the Catholic faithful of Belgium and engage with Belgian society.
Bruno Spriet, the General Secretary of the Belgian Episcopal Conference, who was with Archbishop Terlinden in Rome last week, said the Pope was enthusiastic about his probable visit to Belgium.
According to La Libre Belgique, the trip is expected to take place at the end of September. The mass is likely to be held in the National Basilica of Koekelberg, and it is not yet certain if Francis will visit the European institutions. The Belgian royals, during their last audience with Pope Francis, extended the invitation to him.
The last papal visit to Belgium was in 1995, when Pope John Paul II beatified Father Damien de Molokaï, the apostle of lepers. John Paul II had also visited Belgium in 1985, in a longer trip of five days, covering Brussels, Ghent, Louvain, Liège, Namur, Antwerp, Mechelen, Louvain-la-Neuve or Ypres, and visiting the sanctuaries of Beauraing and Banneux. He celebrated mass on the esplanade of Koekelberg, in the presence of the royal family, gathering 120,000 faithful.
