Pope Francis lands in Luxembourg, first leg of rare European trip

Pope Francis visits Luxembourg and Belgium, meeting with political leaders, abuse survivors, and local Catholics.

Pope Francis arrived in Luxembourg on Thursday (September 26, 2024) for a brief visit to one of Europe's smallest countries ahead of a weekend trip to Belgium, where he will highlight the needs of migrants and meet a group of survivors of abuse by Catholic clergy.

The tour is a rare European visit for the Pope, who has tended to go to places never visited by a pope, or where Catholics are a small minority. It comes less than two weeks after Francis returned from a demanding 12-day, four-country tour across Southeast Asia and Oceania.

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The 87-year-old pontiff - who uses a wheelchair due to knee and back pain - got off the chartered ITA Airways flight on a mobile lift.

He was greeted at Findel International Airport by Luxembourg monarch Grand Duke Henri, Grand Duchess Maria Theresa, Prime Minister Luc Frieden and a group of about 100 schoolchildren, all wearing maroon sweaters.

The pope will later hold private meetings with the grand duke and Prime Minister before giving a speech to the country's political authorities. He will also meet local Catholics at Luxembourg City's Notre-Dame Cathedral.

“In Belgium, he will hold a private meeting with 15 survivors of abuse, the country’s ambassador to the Vatican, Patrick Renault,” said.