An overview of the Church in Luxembourg

By Lisa Zengarini

Christianity first arrived in the territory known today as Luxembourg in the 4th century from the city of Trier, in present-day Germany. It then spread from Echternach, Luxembourg’s oldest city, thanks to the tireless evangelizing efforts of the Anglo-Saxon missionary Saint Willibrord (658-739), the “Apostle of the Frisians” and the patron saint of the Netherlands, Belgium nd Luxembourg, who founded a Benedictine abbey there. In medieval times, Benedictines, Franciscans and Dominicans played a major role in the religious and cultural life of the County, which later became a Duchy.

A longstanding Catholic tradition

In the Middle Ages the Luxembourgish people developed a strong Marian devotion later expressed in particular by the cult to Our Lady "Comforter of the Afflicted" (Consolatrix Afflictorum). In 1666, during the Great Plague, the faithful started to pray to a wooden statue of the Virgin believed to be miraculous in Luxembour’s Limpertsberg district, asking her to heal the sick. The statue was later transferred to the city's Cathedral. Since then, the local Church holds an annual Octave Pilgrimage, known locally as “Oktav”, between the third and fifth Sunday after Easter, which is still today the largest religious event in Luxembourg. The two-week celebration gathers every year tens of thousands of pilgrims from across the region who take part in celebrations and processions.

Until the 19th century Luxembourg didn’t have an episcopal see of its own and for a long time was under the jurisdiction of the Diocese of Liège (Belgium) in the north, and of the Archdiocese of Trier (Germany), in the south. Then, following the French Revolution, in 1801 it became part of the Diocese of Metz (France). In 1823 a large part of the territory was annexed to that of the Diocese of Namur (Belgium).

The territory finally became autonomous in 1840, when Pope Gregory XVI erected the Apostolic Vicariate of Luxembourg, then elevated to Diocese in 1870, and to Archdiocese in 1988.

Visits of Popes

The Holy See has entertained diplomatic relations with the Great Duchy of Luxembourg since 1891 when an Apostolic inter-nunciature was established. In 1955 a nunciature was subsequently established.

The Great Duchy was visited in 1985 by Pope Saint John Paul II on the occasion of his Apostolic Journey to the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Belgium (11 -21 May 1985)

Responding to new challenges in a changing society

Luxembourg is a country with a longstanding Christian tradition and the Catholic Church has always been an integral part of the Grand Duchy’s identity and a point of reference for the Luxembourgish people, especially in the most difficult moments of its history, including the two world wars.  Catholicism is still today the religion of the majority in the country. Catholics in the Archdiocese, currently headed by Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich, S.I., make up approximately 67% of its population of 672,000 today, followed by Protestants (5%).

However, with increasing secularization and general decline of religious practice, in recent decades the Catholic Church has reduced its influence. Furthermore, Luxembourg has increasingly become a multi-ethnic and multi-religious society with several religious minorities, including Orthodox Christians, a small Jewish community and, since the war in the Balkans in the 1990s, also an increasing Islamic community (2.7%), as well as Buddhists and Hindus.

The 4th Luxembourg Diocesan Synod

Since the 4th Luxembourg Diocesan Synod (1972-1981), and abiding by the spirit of the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965), the local Church has tried to respond to the signs of the times by promoting internal renewal, ecumenical and interreligious dialogue and new pastoral initiatives to connect with modern culture. The establishment of the Council of Christian Churches in 1997 is part of this effort.

The Constitution of Luxembourg recognizes freedom of worship and expression of religious belief and a series of agreements have established various forms of collaboration with the Catholic Church in the social welfare and educational sectors (Catholic religious teaching in state schools, co-financing of private schools). Bilateral agreements have also been signed to grant public financial support to religious staff.