The Pope, Bartholomew and Ieronymos have met refugees at Moria refugee camp: “We have come to call the attention of the world to this grave humanitarian crisis and to plead for its resolution”.
He arrived in a white minibus, along with Patriarch Bartholomew and Archbishop Ieronymos: Pope Francis visited Lesbos’ Moria refugee camp, one of five European hotspots on the Greek islands, where 2500 people have been packed in. Francis shook the hand of 150 young people who stood along the security barriers. Many of them have lost their parents and are alone in the world. The pain in their sun-baked faces is visible. They are the protagonists of what the Pope has called “the greatest humanitarian catastrophe since World War II”. Francis, accompanied by his “brothers”, the ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople Bartholomew and the Orthodox Archbishop of Athens Ieronymos, caressed children’s faces and greeted mothers. He took a newborn baby into his arms after Bartholomew did the same. The Pope would disappear from the camera now and then as he bent down to touch the outstretched hands of children who slipped in and stood at the base of the barriers.
It was hot in the sun drenched camp. Francis, Bartholomew and Ieronymos reached a white tent where there were 250 other refugees waiting for them. The Pope greeted them one by one, moving among them slowly. One young Pakistani man fell to his knees and began sobbing, asking the Pope for a blessing. “Father bless me,” he repeated. A moved Francis, placed his hands on the weeping man’s head and prayed.
A young girl threw herself to the ground and stayed by Francis’ feet. He tried to get her to stand up before the child’s veiled mother told him their story. She spoke for a while and finally thanked the Pope in Arabic, “shukrān”. An elderly man cried as he told the three Christian leaders about his children who died during the crossing. Even as he exited the tent, a woman approached him and knelt down in desperation, holding his hand tight. Francis moved along in silence, looking visibly moved.
When it came to the moment for the religious leaders to give their brief speeches, the Archbishop of Athens said to the Pope: “We consider your presence on the territory of the Greek Church crucial because together we can bring this tragic refugee crisis to the attention of the whole world, to both Christians and non-Christians.”
“There is no need for superfluous words,” Ieronymos added. “Only those who looked those little children we met in the refugee camps in the eye can immediately see the complete “bankruptcy” of humanity and solidarity which Europe has shown these people and not only over the years.”
Patriarch Bartholomew then took the floor and addressing the refugees said: “We have travelled here to look you in the eyes, hear your voices and take your hands in ours. We have travelled here to tell you we care about you. We have travelled here because the world has not forgotten about you.”
“We wept as we saw the Mediterranean turn into your loved one’s grave. We wept when we saw the kindness and sensitivity of the people of Lesbos and other islands. But we also wept when we saw the hardheartedness of our brothers and sisters – your brothers and sisters –, who closed their borders and turned their backs.” The world, he said, “shall be judged by the way in which it has treated you. And we will shall all be responsible for the way in which we respond to this crisis and the conflict in your countries of origin.”
Finally, it was Francis’ turn to speak. “I have wanted to be with you today. I want to tell you that you are not alone. In these weeks and months, you have endured much suffering in your search for a better life. Many of you felt forced to flee situations of conflict and persecution for the sake, above all, of your children, your little ones. You have made great sacrifices for your families. You know the pain of having left behind everything that is dear to you and – what is perhaps most difficult – not knowing what the future will bring. Many others like you are also in camps or towns, waiting, hoping to build a new life on this continent.”
“God created mankind,” Francis added, “to be one family; when any of our brothers and sisters suffer, we are all affected. We all know from experience how easy it is for some to ignore other people’s suffering and even to exploit their vulnerability. But we also know that these crises can bring out the very best in us. You have seen this among yourselves and among the Greek people, who have generously responded to your needs amid their own difficulties.”
The Pope concluded by saying: “This is the message I want to leave with you today: do not lose hope! The greatest gift we can offer one another is love.” Francis, Bartholomew and Ieronymos signed a joint declaration with a strong appeal to the international community. They then sat down with eight refugees in one of the camp’s container houses.
