Pope Francis will visit Lesbos to show his support for refugees
Pope Francis will visit the Greek island of Lesbos on April 16 to show support for refugees there, the Vatican confirmed on its official website.
The announcement comes after Greek church authorities were reported to have approved plans for a papal trip to the island, which in the past year has been the main port of arrival into Europe from Turkey for refugees fleeing war and poverty.
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The Greek Orthodox church said it had invited ecumenical patriarch Bartholomew, the head of the Eastern Orthodox church, “so that he can honour Lesbos with his presence the day of Pope Francis’s visit”, according to AFP.
The Vatican said the Pope, Bartholomew and the archbishop of Athens Ieronymos II will visit refugees who are hosted there.
The Pope has regularly criticised Europe's chaotic response to the refugee crisis in the past.
During his traditional Easter message, he said migrants often met "rejection from those who could offer them welcome and assistance".
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