Pope Francis will visit the eastern Aegean island of Lesvos (Lesbos) on April 15, in a bid to show solidarity with Mideast war refugees and to sensitize European and international public opinion.
The pontiff’s desire to visit a Greek island affected by the refugee crisis island was expressed to Archbishop of Athens and All Greece Ieronymos, who in turn briefed the Church of Greece’s Holy Synod on the matter.
The Autocephalous Orthodox Church of Greece accepted the request by the Roman Catholic pope to visit the island for a “short, out-of-protocol visit of a clearly humanitarian and symbolic visit.” The island of Lesvos was chosen, the “prime” destination for war refugees – but also third world migrants – disembarking from Turkey to land on Greek territory.
Additionally, the Holy Synod decided to request that Ecumenical Patriarch Vartholomeos (Bartholomew) also visit the island at the same time, in order to honor, with his presence, the island of the Lesvos.
