Pope Francis has taken 12 Syrian refugees, including six children, home to Rome with him after visiting migrants on the Greek island of Lesbos.
The hugely symbolic gesture will be seen as a damning indictment of European leaders’ reaction to the migrant crisis on Europe’s and the EU deal to deport migrants to Italy.
The Pope said he wanted to make a “gesture of welcome” by taking the three families back to the Vatican with him, where they will be cared for and supported.
During his visit, Pope Francis said the migrant crisis was the “greatest humanitarian catastrophe since World War Two” and said Europe must deal with the migrant crisis in a “way that is worthy of our common humanity”.
He said his visit was “marked by sadness” and as he visited the shores, where hundreds of migrants have lost their lives attempting the dangerous crossing to Lesbos, he threw a wreath into the sea saying: “we are all migrants”.
Migrants at the Moira detention camp, where 2,300 people are housed, wept as they met the Pope, some held signs saying “We are also human” and “Pope you are our hope”.
He was shown artwork by some of the children there and was given a picture by one girl, telling his staff: “Don’t fold it, I want it on my desk.”
The three families left the island with the Pope on his plane after addressing the crowds, telling them: “We hope that the world will heed these scenes of tragic and indeed desperate need, and respond in a way worthy of our common humanity.”
Pope Francis was greeted by the Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras who said the visit was “historic and important”.
He said he was proud of his country’s response to the migrant crisis when other countries in Europe were “erecting walls and fences to prevent defenceless people from seeking a better life”.
Macedonia, Croatia and Hungary have erected razor-wire-topped fences to keep stop refugees from crossing.
Greece, still suffering from the recession, had continuously appealed to the EU for help after borders were closed to migrants trying to cross, putting more pressure on the impoverished country.
But the EU agreement to send refugees back to Turkey to try to stem the flow has been controversial and the Pope’s visit will shine a spotlight on the human cost of that deal. The first 325 migrants were sent back last week.
Relief agencies have criticised conditions in the camp as “unacceptable”, with “unaccompanied minors locked up behind barbed wire”.
Gauri van Gulik, deputy Europe director at Amnesty International, said: “The Pope’s visit comes at a pivotal moment: right as Europe is gearing up to send thousands of refugees back to Turkey, locking them up in the meantime in horrible conditions.
“These are people who fled the horrors of Islamic State, the Taliban, bombings in Syria and more. They deserve Europe’s protection and care, and hopefully the Pope can shed light on their plight.”
The head of the Catholic Church in England and Wales, Cardinal Vincent Nichols, has criticised David Cameron’s resettlement programme for Syrian refugees, saying it was a “great disappointment”.
He told the Radio 4 Today programme that British help for refugees was too slow and “we could be doing more”.
Italy has its own migrant crisis to deal with on the island of Lampedusa, which also sees hundreds trying to cross each year, and the country has repeatedly asked the EU for help. – Sky News.
