The international press report that Pope Francis could bring up 50 migrants to Italy as part of his trip to Cyprus and Greece this week.
The Vatican wanted to arrange the transfer of migrants currently in Cyprus to Rome, said Cypriot government spokesman Marios Pelekanos. This information was reported by Reuters on 26 November.
“This is a tangible expression of solidarity by the head of the Roman Catholic Church to people in need, affirming that the Vatican recognizes the problem that the Republic of Cyprus faces today because of the increased migratory flows and the need for a fair distribution among EU member states,” Pelekanos said, according to Reuters.
Pope Francis will depart for the Mediterranean island of Cyprus this Thursday. It is a five-day visit that will also take the Pope to Greece. The trip is expected to highlight the plight of migrants seeking to enter Europe, mainly from the Middle East and Africa.