‘You are not alone’: Pope Francis visits refugee camp on Greek island of Lesbos
The pope has often defended refugees and urged Catholic parishes in Europe to host them.
Migrants wept at his feet, kissed his hand and begged for Pope Francis’s help on Saturday at a Greek refugee camp on the frontline of Europe’s migrant crisis which has claimed hundreds of lives in the past year.
At a sprawling fenced complex on the Aegean island of Lesbos, adults and children broke down in tears, pleading for help after their onward journey to Europe was cut short by an EU decision to seal off a migrant route used by a million people fleeing conflict since early 2015.
Francis, leader of the world’s 1.2 billion Roman Catholics, shook hands with hundreds of people as hundreds more were penned behind metal barriers at the Moria camp, which holds some 3,000 people.
“Freedom, freedom,” migrants chanted as the pope walked through the hillside facility in scorching sun. Some women ululated.
Earlier, Greek state TV reported Francis was planning to take ten refugees back with him to the Vatican, eight of them Syrians. Their names were taken from a lot this week.
You are not alone. As people of faith, we wish to join our voices to speak out on your behalf. Do not lose hope!
“This is a gift from God,” state broadcaster ERT quoted a woman called Nour as saying.