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Francis in Cyprus and Greece

Pope Francis is welcomed by Greek President Katerina Sakellaropoulou at the presidential palace in Athens, Greece, Dec. 4, 2021. (CNS/Paul Haring)

Pope Francis visited Cyprus and Greece Dec. 2-6, 2021, marking Francis' third international journey since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Refugees stand outside their shelters as Pope Francis visits the government-run Reception and Identification Center Dec. 5 in Mytilene, Greece. (CNS/Vatican Media)
NCR Voices

Pope Francis evangelizes very differently than US conservatives

By Michael Sean Winters

Michael Sean Winters: Pope Francis held up St. Paul's speech to the Athenians as a model of evangelization, saying "he did not impose; he proposed." This is the pedagogy of accompaniment, which can scarcely be labeled "heretical" or "confusing" as some conservatives are wont to do.

Pope Francis defends ousted Paris archbishop: 'We cannot condemn'

By Christopher White

Less than a week after accepting the resignation of Paris Archbishop Michel Aupetit following reports of an "ambiguous" relationship with a woman, Pope Francis on Dec. 6 defended the recently ousted prelate, saying "we cannot condemn."

Pope Francis uses incense to venerate a Marian image as he celebrates Mass in the Megaron Concert Hall in Athens, Greece, Dec. 5, 2021

God's power is revealed in love, pope says at Mass in Athens

By Cindy Wooden, Catholic News Service

Celebrating Mass Dec. 5 in Athens' Megaron concert hall, Pope Francis spoke of the blessing and spiritual advantage of being a small community without power and without pretenses.

Returning to migrant hotspot of Lesbos, Pope Francis chides world leaders for an 'indifference that kills'

By Christopher White

Pope Francis on Dec. 5 chided world leaders for their "cynical disregard" of the plight of migrants.

Pope Francis talks with Orthodox Archbishop Ieronymos II of Athens and all Greece during a meeting with their delegations in the Throne Room of the archbishopric in Athens, Greece, Dec. 4, 2021. (CNS photo/Paul Haring)

Pope Francis apologizes for Catholic wrongs against Orthodox believers, urges unity

By Christopher White

Pope Francis asked forgiveness for the historical "mistakes committed by many Catholics" against Orthodox Christians.

In Athens, Pope Francis sounds alarm over the 'retreat from democracy'

By Christopher White

 As Pope Francis arrived in the birthplace of democracy, he immediately sounded the alarm that democracy is under threat across the globe.

Pope Francis greets people as he leaves an ecumenical prayer with migrants in the Church of the Holy Cross Dec. 3 in Nicosia, Cyprus, Dec. 3. (CNS/Paul Haring)

For migrants, Pope Francis a potential savior. In northern Cyprus, 'another tourist'

By Christopher White

Daniel Ejuba, a refugee from Cameroon, may be the only person from northern Nicosia who is excited for Pope Francis' visit to Cyprus. Most of its non-practicing Muslim-majority residents are blissfully unaware (or, apathetic and amused) that Francis is in town.

Pope Francis and Orthodox Archbishop Chrysostomos II of Cyprus attend a meeting with the Orthodox bishops who are members of the Holy Synod at the Orthodox cathedral Dec. 3 in Nicosia, Cyprus. (CNS/Paul Haring)

United in faith, Cypriot Christians have mission to console, pope says

By Cindy Wooden, Catholic News Service

In a meeting with Archbishop Chrysostomos II, head of the Orthodox Church of Cyprus, Pope Francis assured him that "your sorrows and your joys are also ours."

Pope Francis arrives to lead a meeting with priests, religious, deacons, catechists and members of church groups and movements at the Maronite Cathedral of Our Lady of Grace Dec. 2 in Nicosia, Cyprus. (CNS/Paul Haring)

In a divided Cyprus, Pope Francis pleads for an end to 'walls of fear'

By Christopher White

Pope Francis pleaded for an end to "walls of fear" and "vetoes dictated by nationalist interests" on Dec. 2, as he arrived in the splintered eastern Mediterranean capital city of Nicosia.

Volunteers assist migrants outside Holy Cross Catholic Church next to the United Nations buffer zone in Nicosia, Cyprus, Nov. 24. (CNS/Reuters/Yiannis Kourtoglou)

Cypriot ambassador sees Francis' visit as moment of solidarity for his country

By Christopher White

In an email interview with NCR, Cyprus' ambassador to the Holy See, George Poulides, described Pope Francis' "solidarity" with the island nation as "politically, diplomatically, religiously and morally important."

Pilgrims look at the horizon at the Greek Orthodox Monastery of Apostolos Andreas in Karpasia, Cyprus, in 2016. (CNS/Reuters/Yiannis Kourtoglou)

Small islands are settings for big messages as Francis heads to Cyprus, Greece

By Christopher White

Pope Francis' Dec. 2-6 trip to Cyprus and Greece will serve as an opportunity to boost some of the signature themes of his papacy: migration, synodality and ecumenical outreach.

A migrant walks near Pournara migrant reception center in Kokkinotrimithia, as a giant Turkish Cypriot breakaway flag, right, and Turkish flags painted on a mountain are seen in the background in the Turkish occupied area of the ethnically divided island

Pope will help bring migrants from Cyprus to Italy, government says

By Menelaos Hadjicostis, Nicole Winfield, The Associated Press

Pope Francis is arranging to transfer a number of migrants to Italy from the east Mediterranean island nation of Cyprus.

Pope Francis meets refugees at the Moria refugee camp on the island of Lesbos, Greece, in this April 16, 2016, file photo. (CNS photo/Paul Haring)

Pope Francis to visit Cyprus and Greece in December, Vatican confirms

By Christopher White

Pope Francis will visit Cyprus and Greece next month, the Vatican confirmed on Nov. 5.

 

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