(ZENIT News / Luxembourg, 10.06.2025).- When Guillaume V of Luxembourg swore his oath before the Chamber of Deputies, the solemnity of the occasion was echoed far beyond the borders of his small but storied nation. Among the voices joining in celebration was that of Pope Leo XIV, who sent a personal telegram to the new Grand Duke, offering prayers, encouragement, and a distinctly spiritual vision for his reign.
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In his message, the Pope described Luxembourg as “a country rich in ancient and distinguished traditions, deeply rooted in history,” and expressed his hope that the new monarch would continue to nurture those Christian values that have long shaped the nation’s identity. The Pope’s words went beyond diplomatic courtesy; they carried a moral invitation—to lead not merely as a sovereign, but as a guardian of conscience and common good.
Leo XIV invoked the protection of the Virgin Mary over Guillaume and extended his Apostolic Blessing to all Luxembourgers, wishing them peace and harmony in this new chapter of their national life. The gesture, while formal in tone, resonated with warmth and continuity, reflecting the historic bond between the Grand Duchy and the Holy See.
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Guillaume’s accession marks the culmination of a carefully planned transition that began in 2024 with the gradual retirement of his father, Grand Duke Henri, after a 25-year reign. Henri’s legacy is deeply marked by his act of conscience in 2008, when he refused to approve a law legalizing euthanasia—an echo of Belgium’s King Baudouin, his uncle, who faced a similar moral dilemma decades earlier. That moment defined Henri not just as a constitutional monarch but as a man guided by faith, a principle his son is now expected to inherit in a new political and cultural era.
At 43, Guillaume becomes the seventh Grand Duke since the modern monarchy was established in 1890, presiding over the world’s only remaining grand duchy. His coronation ceremony, attended by representatives from neighboring royal houses, was followed by a traditional tour of the country that concluded with a Sunday Mass at the Cathedral of Notre-Dame, celebrated by Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich, Archbishop of Luxembourg.
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For a nation of fewer than 700,000 citizens, Luxembourg’s monarchy retains a quiet but enduring symbolism—a reminder that moral leadership can coexist with constitutional limits. Pope Leo’s message, framed in the language of faith and fraternity, seemed to recognize that balance.
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