Prime Minister Alexander De Croo's speech was one of the most pointed ever directed at the pope during a foreign trip.

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.

For four days, Pope Francis will meet with Belgium and its Catholic Church, which has had to rethink its role in a society marked by rapid secularization. Through this visit, Belgian Catholics hope to be encouraged in their new momentum.