Pope Francis to Visit Belgium and Luxembourg in Late September

Pope Francis will travel to Belgium and Luxembourg from September 26-29, celebrating Mass and meeting with political and religious leaders. The visit coincides with the 600th anniversary of Belgium's top Catholic universities. The trip follows his long foreign tour to Indonesia, East Timor, Papua New Guinea, and Singapore.

The Vatican announced Friday the detailed itinerary for Pope Francis' upcoming trip to Belgium and Luxembourg scheduled for late September. During this four-day visit, he will celebrate Mass for the local faithful and engage in meetings with both religious and political authorities.

Scheduled for September 26-29, the pontiff’s visit will also include private discussions with his fellow Jesuit brethren. With 50% of Belgium's 12 million population identifying as Catholic, and a similar percentage in Luxembourg, the visit is highly anticipated.

The trip is timed to coincide with the 600th anniversary celebrations of Belgium’s prominent Catholic universities. On September 27, Pope Francis will meet with professors from Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, and the next day, he will greet students from Universite Catholique de Louvain. In Luxembourg, Francis is expected to acknowledge the contributions of Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich, a significant figure in the Jesuit order and the pontiff's synodal reform project.

This European visit comes shortly after Pope Francis' extensive journey through Indonesia, East Timor, Papua New Guinea, and Singapore, marking it as a busy month for the pontificate.