Belgium’s prime minister blasted Pope Francis for the Catholic Church’s horrific legacy of clerical sex abuse and cover-ups here, demanding “concrete steps” to come clean with the past and put victims’ interests ahead of those of the institution in a blistering welcome at the start of Francis’ visit on Friday.

Pope Francis said Friday that the Catholic Church must "seek forgiveness" over the "scourge" of child sexual abuse, during a visit to Belgium where the Church's dark past looms large.

Pope Francis was pressed firmly by Belgium's king and premier on Friday for more concrete action to address sexual abuse by Catholic clergy, an issue once more in the spotlight as he visits.Both King Philippe and Prime Minister Alexander De Croo raised the issue in public in unusually forceful language for a papal foreign trip,