Three families of Syrian refugees boarded Pope Francis's plane heading back to the Vatican on Saturday after his lightning visit to a Greek island on the frontline of Europe's migrant crisis, a Reuters witness said.
LESBOS: Pope Francis took three families of Syrian refugees
back to Rome on Saturday after visiting the frontline of Europe's
migrant crisis at a camp in Greece where migrants wept at his feet,
kissed his hand and begged for help.
At a sprawling fenced complex on the Aegean island of
Lesbos, adults and children broke down in tears before the head of the
Roman Catholic Church, after their onward journey to Europe was cut
short by an EU decision to block a migrant route used by a million
people fleeing conflict since early 2015.
While borders have now largely been shut for migrants, Francis
symbolically took a small group of refugees with him on his aircraft as
he left the island after a five-hour visit.
"The Pope has desired to make a gesture of welcome regarding
refugees, accompanying on his plane to Rome three families of refugees
from Syria, 12 people in all, including six children," a Vatican
statement said, adding that they were all Muslims.
The pope told reporters on the plane back from Lesbos that it had
been the idea of one of his aides and that he had immediately agreed."I felt the spirit was talking to us," he said, adding that "everything was done according to the rules", with documents provided by Italy, the Vatican and Greece.
Asked why they were all Muslim, he said there was something wrong with the papers of a Christian family that had originally been on the list.
The refugees had arrived on Lesbos before a deal between the
EU and Turkey came into effect to halt the migrant flow on March 20 and
were staying at a different, open camp on the island.
The pope stressed that taking them to Rome was a humanitarian, not a political, gesture.Sant'Egidio, a Christian community which offers help for those in need and is headquartered in Rome, will help the families to settle and to find jobs but the costs will be covered by the Vatican, Francis said.
"YOU ARE NOT ALONE"
Earlier 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. It holds a total of
about 3,000 people.
"Freedom, freedom," migrants chanted as he walked through
the hillside facility in scorching sun. Some women ululated. "I want to
tell you, you are not alone," he told them.
"As people of faith, we wish to join our voices to speak out
on your behalf. Do not lose hope!" he said, flanked by Patriarch
Bartholomew, spiritual leader of the world's Orthodox Christians, and
Greek Archbishop Ieronymos.
On at least three occasions, adults fell to the feet of the
pontiff, weeping and begging for help. One woman wearing a crucifix
broke through a police cordon and flung herself at Francis's feet.
"No camp, no camp," sobbed the woman, who appeared to be in her early thirties. "I want to go."
In a tent where Francis met with migrants, a little girl
with pigtails dressed in pink and white bowed at his feet. As he helped
her up, she cried uncontrollably. An adult man broke down. Migrants
slipped pieces of paper into his hand as F Francis passed by, which he
handed to an aide.
The pope later told reporters the experience was "to cry for".
The pope has often defended refugees and urged Catholic
parishes in Europe to host them. His first trip after becoming pontiff
in 2013 was to the Sicilian island of Lampedusa, which, like Lesbos, has
received thousands of refugees.
Hundreds of people have died making the short but precarious
crossing from Turkey to the Lesbos shores in inflatable dinghies in the
past year, and the island is full of unmarked graves.
Francis and Orthodox leaders threw wreaths into the sea to commemorate those who have died
(Writing by Michele Kambas; Editing by Gareth Jones)
- Reuters
Pope returns with 12 refugees after visit to Greek island
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