Vatican City, Jun 23, 2023 / 12:15 pm
Pope Francis on Thursday appointed Father Luc Terlinden the new archbishop of Mechelen-Brussels, passing over Belgium’s sitting bishops in favor of a priest.
The archbishop of Mechelen-Brussels, the primatial see of Belgium, is considered the most important position in the Catholic Church in the country.
The city of Brussels is also a major center of international politics and the de facto capital of the European Union.
Terlinden, 54, has been vicar general of the archdiocese since 2021. His episcopal ordination will be on Sept. 3 in Sint-Rombouts Cathedral in Mechelen.