Pope Francis calls for more open-mindedness in Luxembourg

Pope Francis addressed the Catholic community during a unique, hour-long ceremony on Thursday afternoon.

Unlike a traditional mass, the event stood out from the start, with guitars and a dance performance by young people – transforming the atmosphere into a more relaxed and unique experience. The dancers reenacted scenes from the life of Saint Francis of Assisi, the namesake of the Pope, who chose his name in honour of the saint’s dedication to poverty, peace, and care for creation.

Members of the Catholic community also spoke during the ceremony. Diogo Gomes Costa reflected on his experience from World Youth Day in Lisbon last year, saying:

“I hold a special place in my memory and in my heart of the last two days. First of all, the euphoric moment of your long-awaited arrival at the Campo de Graça as the sun was setting, and afterwards the sunrise the next day, waking up next to each other.”

In his speech, Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich brought up the rather difficult situation of the Catholic Church in Luxembourg: “The church of Luxembourg has developed itself in a strongly secularised society. With its suffering and difficulties, but also with journeys of hope. We want to embark on a journey of renewal, supported by God’s signs along the way.”

The Pope, whose speech was translated from Italian to French, focussed on terms like service, mission and joy.

With the term “service” he appealed to Luxembourgers to further commit to secure the open-mindedness of the Grand-Duchy: “Yes, the evangelic spirit is a spirit of welcome, openness, and it does not allow any sort of exclusion. I encourage you thus to stay true to that heritage, to continue turning your country into a house of friendship for all of those who knock at your door, asking for hospitality and help.”

At the end of the mass, the Pope received a donation gift totalling €176,000 for his foundation which supports people in need. However, the pontiff immediately returned the money to the Luxembourgish Church in order for them to support the poor and refugees in the country.

Alongside the 500 guests of honour, including the Grand Ducal family, a couple of representatives of the Chamber of Deputies, and the government, a lot of “normal” people showed up. For the 650 spaces held free for the public, over 10,000 people applied. In the end, lots were drawn to know who was allowed to take part.

One of the selected few was Caroline Schiltz, who described her impressions: “I have to admit it was impressive, I did not expect it to be that way. Sadly we were only able to get into the tent, not into the cathedral itself, because it was already full at our arrival. We saw enough and we felt the ambience, the Pope even passed through the tent a few times. He greeted everyone and shook our hands. It was impressive, I have to say.”

After the ceremony, Pope Francis was driven to Findel Airport to continue his journey to Belgium. It may be a while before Luxembourg hosts the Pope again, but the hope is that the wait will be shorter than the 39 years since his last visit.