Pope Francis,Patriarch Bartholomew and Archbishop Ieronymos to Visit Lesbos Refugees

Being profoundly concerned by the plight of refugees and persecution of Christians in the Middle East,His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew reached out to a representative of His Holiness Pope Francis in February and by personal letter on 30 March,the Ecumenical Patriarchate announced.In the context of this interest and shared concern of Religious Leaders,and the urgent need to assume a common initiative and action,Pope Francis,Patriarch Bartholomew and His Beatitude Archbishop Ieronymos II of Athens and All Greece will visit the Greek island of Lesbos on 16 April to meet with and support the refugees there.Lesbos is presently coping with about 3500 refugees at a reception center.
This measure and initiative by the Religious Leaders will encourage and strengthen the thousands of suffering refugees,while inspiring the implementation of appropriate actions for the protection of afflicted Christian Communities,as well as the proper response to the critical refugee situation,the Chief Secretariat of the Holy and Sacred Synod said.