Pope Francis on Saturday flies into Greece for the first visit by a pontiff in two decades, with Athens under high security amid anti-papal sentiment among Orthodox hardliners.
The pope's two-day trip will see him return on Sunday to the island of Lesbos, which he last visited in 2016 during the early years of the migration crisis.
"I ardently long to meet you all, all, not only Catholics, but all of you," he said in a message before embarking on his trip, which began on Thursday with a two-day visit to Cyprus.Francis on Saturday will meet Greek President Katerina Sakellaropoulou, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and the head of the Church of Greece Archbishop Ieronymos."The Holy Father's presence in Greece is a boost for us ...
The sprawling and dismal camp of Moria, which the pontiff visited in 2016, burnt down last year and has been replaced by a new EU-funded facility.