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.
Supreme Court rejects an appeal from a Canadian man once held at Guantanamo
Xi: Advance cause pioneered by Mao
Jennifer Aniston, 55, and Reese Witherspoon, 48, both stun in chic all
Chinese premier presides over meeting of Central Financial Commission
Election 2024: Biden and Trump bypassed the Commission on Presidential Debates
Right whale is found entangled off New England in a devastating year for the vanishing species
Senior CPC official pledges support for Chinese language to go global
China's top political advisor calls for boosting patriotic united front at National Day reception
Burglar hurled stolen mobile phones at police from the top of 60ft high roof during nine
Senior CPC official stresses addressing people's immediate concerns
Yu Darvish extends scoreless innings streak to 25 in Padres' 9
China's top political advisor calls for boosting patriotic united front at National Day reception