The leader of Catholic Church, Pope Francis, will visit the island of Lesvos to express his solidarity with the refugees and migrants. The visit will be strictly unofficial and is expected to take place next Friday, April 15th 2016. Pope Francis and the head of Greek Orthodox Church, Archbishop of Athens Ieronymous will visit the hot spots on Lesvos and send a message of love and solidarity with the thousands of refugees.
The visit will last just a couple of hours, will be off the official Protocol and will have “clearly humanitarian and symbolical character.”
The Vatikan has reportedly accepted the invitation by the Greek Orthodox Church and Archbishop Ieronymous. The request was submitted in March. The Greek Orthodox Church will send also an invitation to the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomaios.
According to unconfirmed scenarios, the Pope, the Ecumenical Patriarch and the Archbishop of Athens may pay a short visit to the nearby island of Chios and visit the hot spots there too.
It is the first visit of Pope Francis to Greece and the first after 2001 when Pope John Paul II officially visited Greece.
A historical visit with a powerful message, indeed.
UPDATE: According to latest information, the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomaios, bus also P[rime Minister Alexis Tsipras will accompany the Pope through the hot spots of Lesvos.
It looks as if there would be no visit to Chios.
PS sorry, I think I made a mistake: the visit refers to “refugees” not “migrants” …ha!
