Pope plans to initiate sainthood process for King Baudouin

The Pope has announced that he will initiate the beatification process of Belgium's late King Baudouin upon his return to Rome, after a visit to Belgium marked by sharp criticism regarding handling of the Church’s sex abuse scandal and regressive comments on abortion.

“On my return to Rome, I will initiate the process for the beatification of King Baudouin – may his example as a man of faith enlighten those in power,” Pope Francis announced at a mass attracting 35,000 people at King Baudouin stadium in Brussels.

“I ask that the bishops of Belgium take up this cause in order to move it forward.”

King Baudouin, referred to by the Pope as "a man of faith", ruled Belgium from 1951 until his death in 1993.

This is not the first time he has been proposed as a candidate for sainthood, with Belgium’s Cardinal Daneels having said on the matter that “some kings were more than kings”.

The beatification procedure takes years.

"For there to be a beatification, there has to be a miracle, and some people believe that King Baudouin performed miracles," RTL correspondent Amélie Schildt noted.

"The Vatican is said to have received letters from people saying that they had been ill, had prayed to King Baudouin and had been healed afterwards. It is these testimonies that the Vatican will have to look into.”

Pope Francis also praised Baudouin's “courage” when he chose to “not to sign a murderous law”, referring to the 1990 law partially decriminalising abortion, a landmark piece of legislation for women’s rights.

King Baudouin stepped down from his post for 36 hours in order to allow the law to pass into effect without his signature, saying that to sign it would be against his Catholic faith. He then resumed office immediately afterwards.

The Centre d'Action Laïque (CAL) denounced the Pope’s comment as “a provocation on the very day of International Day for the Right to Abortion”.

The organisation said it had “learned of the astonishing remarks made by Pope Francis describing our legislation on the voluntary interruption of pregnancy as a murderous law” and emphasised that “access to this medical act in dignified and safe conditions is a fundamental right for all women. To oppose it is, on the contrary, to place women in a situation where their health is at risk.”

The CAL chastised a lack of response from government, asking: “How can Belgium tolerate such interference from the head of a theocratic state?”

The Royal Palace stated in a press release that the impromptu visit to the tomb of King Baudouin, at the request of the Pope, was not part of the official programme of his visit to Belgium and was of a strictly private nature.

Photo: Eric Lalmand/Belga