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. |
Celebrity birthdays for the week of April 21Sport climbing season kicks off in ChinaCBA: Beijing, Shanghai to face decisive G3Chinese paddlers sweep titles at WTT Champions IncheonSonny Gray pitches Cardinals past his former A's as St. Louis wins 3Maglev line opens to tourists in FenghuangSecond highSolomon Islands observes campaign blackout day ahead of election — Radio Free AsiaNew monster movie eyes even bigger China haul via holiday boostWanderlust will spark recovery