Grace action celebrations will also be organized in the coming days in all the dioceses of the country. This will be the case in the Saint-Rombaut cathedral in Malines on Sunday May 11 at 10.30 am and in the Cathedral Saints-Michel-et-Gudule in Brussels on Monday May 12 at 7 pm. These two ceremonies will be chaired by Mgr Terlinden.
The new pontiff is also not an unknown for the Belgian bishops, recalls the press release, because they had the opportunity to meet him during the trip of pope Francis in Belgium last September.
The election of Léon XIV is part of the continuity of François, according to Tommy Scholtes
The spokesperson for the Bishops of Belgium noted having “the impression of the choice of the perfect center, which takes up the succession of Pope Francis”, in a first reaction to the election of the new Pope Leon XIV on Thursday.
“We see someone who is in pacification,” said Tommy Scholtes on the RTL-TVI set by stressing an election that is in line with his predecessor.
“Pope Francis was in the midst of large tensions. I have the impression that we chose here the perfect center, which takes over the succession of François. He held strong words in relation to peace, compared to culture,” said Father Scholtes. “What he said in five minutes is loyalty to what preceded.”
White smoke was released Thursday shortly after 6:00 p.m. from the Sistine Chapel chimney, announcing the election of a new pope by the cardinals gathered in conclave since Wednesday to succeed Pope Francis Died on April 21.
The latter, who came to Visit in Belgium last September, was accompanied by the new Pope, according to Tommy Scholtes. “The Bishops of Belgium have all met him”.
The spokesperson for the Bishops of Belgium still stressed that the election of Leon XIV was a surprise, which “comes from his position”. “He is a perfectly discreet man, I think he is not so known that in the population,” he said.
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