Pope Francis pleads for resolution of refugee crisis

Pope Francis has appealed to the world to help resolve the refugee crisis that is plaguing Europe.

During his visit to a migrant centre on the Greek island of Lesbos, the Pontiff highlighted the plight of refugees.

Refugees are not numbers, they are people who have faces, names, stories, and need to be treated as such.

— Pope Francis (@Pontifex) April 16, 2016

A number of refugees lined up in the camp to catch a glimpse of the Pontiff. The migrants held banners requesting for help.

Pope Francis greets migrants and refugees at the Moria refugee camp on the Greek island of #Lesbos on April 16 pic.twitter.com/RVVtWy98ZP

— AFP news agency (@AFP) April 16, 2016

The pope told the migrants they were not alone.

“I have come here with my brothers, Patriarch Bartholomew and Archbishop Leronymos, simply to be with you and to hear your stories. We have come to call the attention of the world to this grave humanitarian crisis and to plead for its resolution. As people of faith, we wish to join our voices to speak out on your behalf. 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,” said Pope Francis.

After the visit, the pontiff took with him to Rome three families of refugees from Syria as a gesture of goodwill to the rest of the world. All the members of the three families are Muslims whose homes had been bombed.

“The Pope’s initiative was brought to fruition through negotiations carried out by the Secretariat of State with the competent Greek and Italian authorities. The Vatican will take responsibility for bringing in and maintaining the three families,” read a statement from the Papal office.