This Friday, September 27, the King and Queen of the Belgians welcomed Pope Francis into their home. The sovereign pontiff went to Laeken Castle early in the morning, where King Philippe and Queen Mathilde were waiting for him to begin this busy day of visits to Belgium. King Philippe welcomed the Holy Father to his home, a unique moment for the King of the Belgians, also on a personal level. King Albert II and Queen Paola were also present.
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Belgian sovereigns receive Pope Francis at Laeken Castle
Pope Francis’ visit is historic. His predecessor, Benedict XVI, did not visit Belgium during his pontificate of almost 8 years. Pope John Paul II visited King Baudouin in 1985 and 1995. The last papal visit to Belgium therefore dates from three decades ago. King Philippe and Queen Mathilde welcomed Pope Francis on Belgian soil this Thursday at the end of the day. The Pope arrived from Luxembourg, where he had a stopover of more than seven hours, during which he made commitments to the Luxembourg Catholic community, in the presence of Grand Duke Henri and Grand Duchess Maria Teresa.
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After a night’s rest at the Vatican apostolic nunciature in Brussels, located in the commune of Woluwe-Saint-Pierre, Pope Francis was expected in the morning at Laeken Castle. The Belgian head of state receives his distinguished guests and heads of state either at the royal palace in Brussels, his place of work, or at the Château de Laeken, his residence, often depending on his affinities. Pope Francis remains in Belgium until Sunday. He will end his trip by celebrating a holy mass in front of 37,000 people at the King Baudouin stadium.
The sovereign’s white Fiat 500 arrived almost half an hour late at Laeken Castle. The Vatican flag flew from the roof of the sovereigns’ residence. The hosts of the place were waiting for their guest at the door. After the courtesy audience with the royal family, an official meeting ceremony with the Belgian authorities was organized in the Grand Gallery of the castle. King Philip gave a speech in which he addressed sexual violence within the Church. The Pope addressed the Nation and “asked for forgiveness”, in the presence of representatives of established bodies, the Catholic Church and other religions recognized in Belgium, civil society and the diplomatic corps.
Queen Mathilde chose to use her white privilege. Queen Mathilde wore a white dress, a privilege granted to her as a Catholic sovereign. Other monarchs, including the Queen of Spain, the Grand Duchess of Luxembourg and the Princess of Monaco enjoy the same privilege.
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A highly important visit for the King of the Belgians
The Belgian royal family maintains a close link with the Holy See. Albert II and Paola met in November 1958 in Rome, as part of events linked to the enthronement of Pope John XXIII. The latter, who considered himself responsible for this meeting, had even offered to celebrate their marriage in Rome. Religion also allowed this couple to find each other again, after difficult years. The family values advocated by the Church and faith brought Albert and Paola closer together in the 1980s, a period which coincided with the preparation of the grand Catholic wedding of their daughter Astrid to Archduke Lorenz. Lorenz is the grandson of Emperor Charles I of Austria, who was beatified in 2004, and of the pious Empress Zita, from the very Catholic Bourbon-Parma family.
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There is no need to recall the deep faith of King Baudouin and Queen Fabiola, the true glue of their relationship. Their first meetings took place through an Irish nun and the marriage proposal took place during a pilgrimage to Lourdes. The current King Philippe, whose closeness to his uncle we know, was the first witness to Baudouin’s faith. The royal family is today close to the Emmanuel Community, a movement which stems from the Charismatic Renewal.
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The values of the Emmanuel Community are completely in line with the functions of sovereigns. Members, after receiving the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, are invested with a mission to serve their community and those around them. We also know that King Philippe regularly goes to the chapel located at the Laeken estate to pray.
King Philippe can also be proud of having as an ancestor one of the last recipients of a Golden Rose. The Golden Rose is an ornament blessed by the Pope. This gold statuette, representing a rose, a bouquet of roses or a small rosebush, has been given by the popes since the 11th century. It was formerly given to sovereigns for pious and military actions. A Golden Rose was presented by Pius XI to Queen Elisabeth of Belgium, wife of King Albert I, and great-grandmother of King Philippe. Queen Elizabeth, nicknamed the Nurse Queen, cared for the wounded during the First World War.
After Queen Elizabeth, Pius XI awarded a Golden Rose to Thérèse of Lisieux the following year, then to Queen Helena of Italy. His successor, Pius XII, presented a Golden Rose to Grand Duchess Charlotte of Luxembourg in 1956. The Luxembourg sovereign, rewarded for her merits during the Second World War, is the last person in history to receive a Rose gold. Since then, many Golden Roses have been awarded by popes but are now only given to religious buildings, mainly linked to Marian shrines.
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