Pope Francis ends trip to Belgium with Mass in stadium

Pope Francis is due to conclude his multi-day visit to Belgium on Sunday by celebrating Mass at Brussels’ King Baudouin Stadium, attended by almost 40,000 believers from Belgium, Germany, France, and the Netherlands.

Around mid-day, the pontiff is set to leave the country and return to the Vatican following a brief farewell ceremony at the airport.

At the start of the Mass, the head of the Catholic Church plans to beatify Anne of Jesus.

The native Spaniard, who died in Brussels in 1621, was involved in founding convents in Antwerp, Tournai, Mechelen, and Ghent, among other places.

Anne of Jesus was an associate of Saint Teresa of Ávila, who is also known as Saint Teresa of Jesus.

The Church teacher is regarded as one of the most famous women in the Catholic Church.

Teresa also critically examined the dominant role of men.

In addition to visiting the Catholic universities in Leuven and the Louvain-la-Neuve for the 600th anniversary of the institutions, the pope met EU politicians and victims of sexual abuse in the Catholic Church during his time in Belgium.