After leaving the Rome Fiumicino airport at 8:28 a.m., Pope Francis landed in Luxembourg at 9:56 a.m. on September 26, 2024. This is the first leg of his journey that will take him also to Belgium later today and where he will stay until Sunday, September 29.
The 87-year-old pontiff is on his 46th apostolic trip abroad, just two weeks after returning from the longest trip of his pontificate across Asia and Oceania.
During the flight, the Holy Father very briefly saluted the 60 or so journalists on the flight, without taking the time to greet them individually, as he usually does.
Earlier this week, the Holy See announced that the Pope had canceled his Monday appointments for the day as he had a “mild flu-like” condition, and wanted to rest up for the trip.
He did attend meetings on Tuesday and gave the general audience on Wednesday as usual.
On the papal flight he only made a brief appearance - less than two minutes - in front of the delegation of journalists accompanying him.
“Good morning, thank you for your service,” he said into the microphone, standing before the journalists and reporters from around the world. “Sorry, I don't feel like making the ‘trip’ [to greet each journalist individually],” he said, before heading back to the front of the aircraft to his seat.
It is unusual for the Pope not to personally greet the media on board. Usually, this is a warm moment when each journalist can say a few words to the Pontiff and present him with gifts.
Meeting with homeless people before leaving
This morning, before leaving for the Rome airport, the Pope received at the Vatican a group of homeless people who find shelter at night under the colonnade of St. Peter's Square or in the surrounding streets.
And last night he visited the Salus populi romani icon in St. Mary Major, as he usually does before and after his trips, to entrust his trip to Mary.
The Argentine pope, who turns 88 on December 17, made his longest foreign trip ever earlier this month, visiting four countries - Indonesia, East Timor, Papua New Guinea, and Singapore.
During this trip - where the heat was sometimes oppressive - the head of the Catholic Church showed no signs of fatigue, and was in surprisingly good shape.
The program in Luxembourg
Pope Francis was welcomed on the airport tarmac by Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg and his wife, Grand Duchess Maria Teresa, as well as by the Archbishop of Luxembourg, Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich, a key figure in this trip.
After entering the shelter of a hangar and passing in front of the Luxembourg guard of honor, the Pontiff stood and listened to the anthems of both countries played by members of the Luxembourg army.
He then sat back in his wheelchair and briefly greeted young Luxembourg Catholics who had attended the Lisbon World Youth Day in 2023.
The Pope then went to the Grand Ducal Palace for a courtesy visit to Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg. The head of the Catholic Church then met the country's Prime Minister, currently Luc Frieden of the Christian Social People's Party.
Then, at 11:50 a.m., he delivered his first speech to the political representatives, civil society, and the diplomatic corps at the Centre Cité, a congress and exhibition center.
At 4:30 p.m., the Pope will meet the country's Catholic community at the Cathedral of Notre-Dame de Luxembourg, a Jesuit church in a late Gothic-style whose foundation stone was laid in 1613.
On this occasion, Pope Francis will deliver a second speech.
The Archdiocese of Luxembourg points out that the meeting will mark the 400th anniversary of the pilgrimage to Our Lady of Consolation, a particularly venerated Virgin Mary whose statue can be found in the cathedral.
The Pontiff will then depart for Brussels at 6:15 p.m. and is scheduled to arrive at 7:10 p.m. and will stay there until Sunday.
