They were all present, or almost. This Thursday, September 26, 2024, the children and grandchildren of Henri and Maria Teresa of Luxembourg were able to greet the Holy Father, who was visiting the grand duchy for a few hours before his official visit to Belgium. Only little Victoire Bagory, daughter of Princess Alexandra and Nicolas Bagory, was missing.
At the Grand Ducal Palace, the Grand Duke and the Grand Duchess were the first to pose with the Pope. The moment was historic: “The last visit of a sovereign pontiff to the grand duchy dates back to May 1985, the date of the trip of His Holiness John Paul II”, recalls the court’s website. “The grand ducal couple, at the time heir couple, was present for this very first papal visit to Luxembourg.”
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Naturally, Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume and Grand Duchess Stéphanie were involved in the event, as were their two sons, Princes Charles and François, who seemed less than impressed. Little François even offered gracious smiles to the one who bears his first name…
But the entire Grand Ducal family could not miss this meeting. Prince Félix and his wife Princess Claire were present, as were their three children, Princess Amalia, Prince Liam and Prince Balthazar. Prince Louis was with his two sons, Princes Gabriel and Noah. Prince Sebastian was at their side.
“The grand ducal couple offered the pope an engraving representing the Virgin and Child from Notre-Dame Cathedral in Luxembourg, called Comforter of the Afflicted“, specify our colleagues from Lorraine Republican. “It represents the miraculous statue of the Consoler of the Afflicted, patroness of the city of Luxembourg and the country. This statue has been in the cathedral since 1794. She is honored each year during the Octave, a religious celebration bringing together many pilgrims” .
In addition to the Grand Ducal family, the Luxembourgers also came in numbers, hoping to catch a glimpse of the Pope. They were not disappointed. On the path leading to Notre-Dame Cathedral, and despite the rain, Francis greeted with all his might… aboard his legendary popemobile!
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