Pope Francis on Sunday wrapped up a weekend trip to Belgium, where he faced some of the strongest criticism yet levied during one of his foreign trips. The 87-year-old pontiff was pressed by high-profile figures at three of the five major events on his three-day visit in unusual and sometimes fierce language for a papal trip.

Pope Francis was sharply criticised on Saturday by one of Belgium's Catholic universities over his stance on the role of women in society, in a strongly worded press release issued just moments after the pontiff spoke at the college.

In his homily during Mass Sept. 29 in Brussels, Pope Francis strayed from his prepared text to urge bishops to hide nothing, “condemn abuses” and assist perpetrators in getting help.