After being made available for free online, 32,000 tickets for the September 29 Mass were sold out in just 90 minutes, surprising local organizers of Pope Francis’ three-day trip to Belgium.
“This pleasantly surprised us; It is very positive to see such a high demand,” spokesman for the Belgian Episcopal Conference, Tommy Scholtes, told the French Catholic newspaper La Croix.
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During the Mass, Pope Francis will beatify the Carmelite Sister Ana de Jesús, spiritual daughter of Saint Teresa of Ávila and friend of Saint John of the Cross. Born Ana de Lobera y Torres, the nun helped expand the Discalced Carmelites to France and Belgium in the early 17th century.
The Brussels football stadium is the largest in Belgium, with a capacity of almost 50,000 seats. In addition to hosting the national soccer team’s matches, it has also hosted concerts by world-class musical artists, such as Madonna, U2 and the Rolling Stones.
Organizers explained that the approximately 18,000 remaining seats in the city-owned stadium are reserved for parish, diocese and movement groups. After group registration closes, they may be able to release a few hundred more individual tickets for those who didn’t get access on Monday morning.
Pope Francis will visit three cities in Belgium to commemorate the 600th anniversary of the Catholic universities of Leuven and Leuven-la-New from September 26 to 29. He will also make a brief stop in the small European country of Luxembourg on September 26.
In Belgium, a constitutional monarchy, the pope will greet King Philippe and Queen Mathilde, and meet Prime Minister Alexander De Croo. He will also meet with professors and students from the country’s two Catholic universities and with Catholic clergy and religious.
The Pope will also hold a private meeting with victims of sexual abuse during his visit.
Francis’ last morning in Belgium will be spent with local Catholics at the King Baudouin Stadium for the celebration of Sunday Mass on September 29.
A historically Catholic country, since the 1950s, Belgium has seen a significant decline in the number of its practicing Christians.
A 2021 European Commission survey revealed that 44% of the country, which has a population of more than 11.5 million, identifies as Catholic, up from 72% of the population in 1981.
The next largest demographic group identified in the survey was those who say they have no religion, at 41%
A 2023 study by the Catholic university KU Leuven estimates that the number of Catholics in Belgium is slightly higher, at 50% of the population, but only 9% attend mass at least once a month.
Translated and adapted by the ACI Prensa team. Originally published in CNA.
Hannah Brockhaus
Hannah Brockhaus is Rome correspondent for Catholic News Agency. She grew up in Omaha, Nebraska, and has a bachelor’s degree in English from Truman State University in Missouri.