pope heads back to migrant crisis frontline
Last Updated : GMT 09:07:40
Egypt Today, egypt today
Egypt Today, egypt today
Last Updated : GMT 09:07:40
Egypt Today, egypt today

Pope heads back to migrant crisis frontline

Egypt Today, egypt today

Egypt Today, egypt today Pope heads back to migrant crisis frontline

Pope Francis poses for a selfie with a migrant during his visit to the Castelnuovo di Porto refugee center near Rome
Vatican City - Arab Today

Pope Francis returns to the frontline of Europe's migrant crisis on Saturday when he visits Lesbos, the Greek island struggling to cope with the mass influx of asylum seekers arriving by boat from Turkey.

Francis, who has made the plight of people fleeing poverty and conflict one of the central themes of his papacy, is flying to the island on the invitation of Orthodox patriarch Bartholomew I.

His brief stay will include a meeting with asylum seekers, many of whom have arrived on Europe's southeastern shore as a result of the devastating war in Syria.

The trip to Lesbos follows an equally symbolic journey by the Argentinian pontiff to the Italian island of Lampedusa in 2013.

There, in the aftermath of several deadly sinkings of people smugglers' boats packed with migrants, he made one of the most famous speeches of his term in office, railing against the "globalisation of indifference" which has allowed thousands to perish at sea in their pursuit of a better life for themselves and their families.
It is a theme he has returned to repeatedly, notably by urging every Catholic parish in Europe to find accommodation for at least one migrant family. The Vatican is currently hosting two families seeking asylum in Italy.

The decision to visit Lesbos came shortly after the European Union began implementing a controversial programme to return most of the newcomers arriving on the Greek islands to Turkey.

Over a million people crossed clandestinely from Turkey to Greece in 2015 and some 150,000 have made that trip since the start of this year. Around half them land on Lesbos first, the majority women and children.

The main camp for migrants on the island is now categorised as a closed centre, meaning that people staying there are effectively detained.

Despite the difficult conditions there is excitement among the migrants about the prospect of a papal visit, according to staff of Catholic charity Caritas, which works with them.
"They're making bouquets of flowers and they want to meet him," said Tonia Patrikiadou, who is in charge of a Caritas-run hotel that caters for the most vulnerable refugees on the island, notably pregnant women.

"The pope's visit is a symbol of hope and solidarity for the refugees. It's a sign that the world has not forgotten them and help is a possibility," she said.

Caritas has been working closely with Apostoli, the charitable arm of the Greek Orthodox Church and Francis will be accompanied in Lesbos by Bartholomew, the archbishop of Athens who also enjoys the title of Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople.

During his weekly audience at St Peter's on Wednesday, Francis urged Catholics worldwide to pray for the success of his awareness-raising trip.

His intention, he said, was "to show closeness and solidarity with the refugees as well as the citizens of Lesbos and to all the Greek people who have been so generous in their welcome."


Source: AFP

egypttoday
egypttoday

Name *

E-mail *

Comment Title*

Comment *

: Characters Left

Mandatory *

Terms of use

Publishing Terms: Not to offend the author, or to persons or sanctities or attacking religions or divine self. And stay away from sectarian and racial incitement and insults.

I agree with the Terms of Use

Security Code*

pope heads back to migrant crisis frontline pope heads back to migrant crisis frontline



GMT 13:04 2018 Wednesday ,03 October

Qureshi agreed cooperation with United States

GMT 08:37 2017 Wednesday ,09 August

Gulf diplomatic crisis splits families, dashes dreams

GMT 12:50 2015 Wednesday ,28 January

15 Israeli soldiers killed in Hezbollah missile attack

GMT 11:52 2018 Tuesday ,23 January

Saudi university to open driving school for women

GMT 03:50 2017 Sunday ,23 April

Drought-hit Somalia moves closer

GMT 09:30 2017 Saturday ,08 July

Law enforcement forces in N. Sinai in manhunt

GMT 09:20 2017 Sunday ,29 October

World downhill champion Stuhec out of Olympics

GMT 09:08 2017 Tuesday ,15 August

Iranian drone buzzes US aircraft over Gulf

GMT 08:28 2017 Friday ,07 July

Beauty & hair magazine

GMT 12:10 2015 Thursday ,26 November

UAE Space Agency launches Planet Mars contest

GMT 14:27 2018 Thursday ,01 November

German businesses support closer EU-Russia ties
 
 Egypt Today Facebook,egypt today facebook  Egypt Today Twitter,egypt today twitter Egypt Today Rss,egypt today rss  Egypt Today Youtube,egypt today youtube  Egypt Today Youtube,egypt today youtube

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2021 ©

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2021 ©

egypttoday egypttoday egypttoday egypttoday
egypttoday egypttoday egypttoday
egypttoday
بناية النخيل - رأس النبع _ خلف السفارة الفرنسية _بيروت - لبنان
egypttoday, Egypttoday, Egypttoday