Pope Francis visits Luxembourg City, in the presence of (L-R) Claude Wiseler, President of the Chamber of Deputies, Prime Minister Luc Frieden, Grand Duchess Maria Teresa, Grand Duke Henri and Luxembourg City Mayor Lydie Polfer, 26 September 2024;
Credit: © SIP / Jean-Christophe Verhaegen
Luxembourg's Grand Ducal family and political leaders have expressed their condolences over the death of Pope Francis, who passed away on Monday 21 April 2025, aged 88.
In a social media message addressed to Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg noted that he and his wife, Grand Duchess Maria Teresa, were "deeply saddened by the news of the death of His Holiness Pope Francis". He added: "This sadness is all the greater given that we had the honour and immense joy of welcoming him on an official visit to Luxembourg last September".
Grand Duke Henri described Pope Francis as "a man of great compassion" and praised his devotion "to the most vulnerable" and his attention to "the hopes of young people".
"He was a spiritual guide for us and for the world beyond the Church. We offer our most sincere condolences to you and, through you, to the entire Catholic community," the Grand Duke concluded.
Political leaders, such as Luxembourg Prime Minister Luc Frieden, also shared their condolences on social media. The Prime Minister said he too was "saddened to hear of the passing of His Holiness Pope Francis, a recogni[s]ed worldwide moral authority." He described it as "an immense hono[u]r to welcome Pope Francis to Luxembourg last September", reiterating the idea that "religions are part of society and must, in a spirit of mutual respect, contribute to enriching our debates on ethical, societal, and environmental issues". He added that the Pope "greatly contributed towards those objectives", later concluding: "May He rest in peace".
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Xavier Bettel similarly expressed his sadness over the news of the Pope's death. "While our views did not always align, we shared a deep respect for one another and each other’s perspectives. He will be remembered for his humility, his commitment to the poor and his efforts to moderni[s]e the Church #RIP," read the social media post.
Luxembourg City Mayor Lydie Polfer shared a message of condolences, on behalf of herself, the College of Aldermen and the Municipal Council of the City of Luxembourg (VdL), in a press release, saying it was "with deep sadness that we learned of the passing of His Holiness Pope Francis". "Although we know his health was fragile, the news of his passing on this Easter Monday deeply touches us," she added.
"We fondly remember his visit on 26 September, during which he kindly addressed the people of Luxembourg. We are honoured by this gesture of kindness and deeply grateful for the time he devoted to our community during this memorable moment," the statement continued. The mayor went on to extend the City of Luxembourg's "most sincere condolences to the Catholic Church, the Luxembourg Catholic community and all the faithful throughout the world, who have been deeply affected by this painful loss."
To read more about the late Pope's historic visit to Luxembourg in September 2024, see https://chronicle.lu/category/religion-churches/51589-pope-francis-meets-officials-delivers-speech-on-historic-luxembourg-visit and https://chronicle.lu/category/religion-churches/51593-pope-addresses-catholic-community-at-luxembourgs-notre-dame-cathedral
Updated to include article links
