To cap a busy month of international travel, Pope Francis made a surprise announcement last Sunday to the thousands attending the papal Mass at the King Baudouin Stadium in Brussels, Belgium.
“Upon my return to Rome, I will open the process of beatification of King Baudouin,” the Pope said as the crowd erupted in cheers and applause.
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The Holy Father continued to refer to Baldwin as a man of faith who serves as an example for today’s leaders. He also asked the Belgian bishops to “commit themselves” to promoting the cause of Baldwin’s canonization.
Who then is this Belgian king who, if the Pope has his way, could become the next Catholic king to be declared a saint? Let’s meet King Baudouin, the monarch who renounced his earthly crown rather than become complicit in the murder of the unborn.
Man, Monarch… Saint?
Baudouin was born in 1930 in Stuyvenberg Castle, Belgium.
From a very young age, his life was marked by difficulties. His mother, Queen Astrid, died in a car accident when he was just 4 years old. At 14, he and his family were taken prisoner by the invading Nazis. After the war, the country’s revolutionary forces forced his father, Leopold III, to abdicate in favor of his son, allowing Baldwin to devote himself to a life of service to his country.
His reign, which lasted more than 40 years (1951-1993), marked a time of intense social, political and religious unrest in Belgium and the world. Despite all these changes, Baldwin carried out his duties with total devotion to his country and his Catholic faith, being one of the few unifying factors of the country, which is why he was loved by his people.
In 1960, he married another devout Catholic, Princess Fabiola of Mora y Aragón. Although Baldwin very much wanted to be a father, the royal couple never had children; Queen Fabiola suffered five miscarriages during her marriage.
Despite this, both Baudouin and Fabiola maintained a deep faith in God. The couple found strength in the Eucharist and, according to the will of the Belgian court chaplain, they attended Mass together every day.
Baudouin and Fabiola were great promoters of the faith, especially of the Catholic charismatic movement. His testimony stood in stark contrast to the general movement in Belgium, Europe, and the West away from Christianity and toward secularism.
Baldwin renounces his crown
In 1990, Baudouin and Fabiola made a pilgrimage to the Holy House of Loreto, in Italy. There they asked the Blessed Virgin Mary for the courage to fight against a new Belgian law that legalized abortion and which was under discussion at that time.
Just a few months later, the Belgian Parliament approved the law legalizing abortion up to the 12th week of pregnancy.
As king, Baldwin had the duty to sign all new laws, an obligation he had faithfully fulfilled for decades. However, Baldwin refused to sign this law. Citing her Catholic beliefs and her own inability to have children, she informed the government that she could not and would not sign the law.
In a message to the Belgian Prime Minister, Wilfried Martens, Baudouin explained his decision by saying: “I fear that this law will contribute to a palpable decline in respect for the lives of the weakest among us.”
This decision provoked significant political rejection and plunged the country into a constitutional crisis.
In response to criticism, Baldwin wrote: “I know that by acting in this way I have not chosen an easy path and that I run the risk of not being understood by many of my fellow citizens. To those who may be surprised by my decision, I ask: Is it fair that I am the only Belgian citizen forced to act against his conscience in such a crucial area? Is freedom of conscience sacred to everyone except the king?”
Eventually, Martens devised a deal in which Baldwin agreed to declare himself unfit to govern so that the government could carry out the democratic process necessary to enact the law.
On April 3, 1990, Baudouin was removed from the Belgian throne with his consent for refusing to sign the abortion law. However, due to his enormous popularity, Parliament returned the crown to him just 36 hours later, on April 5.
A leader who will enlighten today’s leaders
On July 31, 1993, at age 63, Baudouin died of a sudden heart attack. Once again, he united the country as citizens across Belgium mourned his death. He had reigned continuously for 42 years, except for those 36 hours in 1990.
Pope Saint John Paul II praised Baldwin in a 1995 general audience in which he stated that “a great promoter of the rights of human conscience, willing to defend the divine commandments, and especially the fifth: Thou shalt not kill!, particularly with regard to the protection of the lives of children yet to be born.”
Last weekend, Pope Francis, accompanied by the current kings of Belgium, Philip and Matilda, visited the royal crypt of Our Lady of Laeken in Brussels. During his stay, he spent a few moments praying at Baldwin’s tomb.
According to the Vatican, the Pope praised Baldwin’s courage in choosing to “leave his place as king so as not to sign a murderous law.”
Referring to a bill currently being considered in Belgium to further expand abortion, the Holy See Press Office reported that “the Pope urged Belgians to look to him (Baldouin) at this time when “Criminal laws are still being drafted.”
Considering this and other laws, conflicts and struggles around the world, the Holy Father expressed his hope that Baldwin’s “example as a man of faith will enlighten those who govern.”
Translated and adapted by the ACI Prensa team. Originally published in CNA.
Peter Pinedo
Peter Pinedo is a Washington DC correspondent for CNA. A graduate of Franciscan University, Peter previously worked for Texas Right to Life. He is a first lieutenant in the United States Army Reserve.