Pope Francis' message ahead of his visit to the island next Sunday, December 5, made special reference to Lesvos, "the sources of humanity" as he characteristically calls the island.

“But I think,” the Pontiff says, “of those who in recent years, even today, want to escape wars and poverty, reach the shores of the European continent and elsewhere, and find not hospitality, but hostility and become objects of exploitation. They are our brothers and sisters. How many have lost their lives at sea! Today, “our sea”, the Mediterranean, is a great cemetery. As a pilgrim to the sources of humanity, I will go back to Lesbos, with the conviction that the sources of common life will flourish again only with fraternity and social inclusion: together. There is no other way, and with this desire I come to you.”

Meanwhile, intensive work is continuing so that everything will be ready at the temporary structure camp of Kara Tepe at 10.45 am on Sunday, December 5 - when Lesvos will become the center of global interest. A characteristic of this interest is that hundreds of people from all over the world, including many dozens of journalists, will gather in Mytilene. In fact, the hotels and apartments through AirBNB in the area have occupancy rates of around 100% for those days.

At Kara Tepe, the necessary preparation work is being completed so that two tents can be erected. One from which the Pope will address a message to the whole world and where representatives of the Greek State, the Papal Church in Greece and Lesbos, as well as the community of Catholic refugees residing in Kara Tepe, from which the Pope will also receive a gift made by its children, will speak for a few minutes. Then, at the second tent, the Pope will see refugees on his way back to the airport.

The President of the Hellenic Republic, Katerina Sakellaropoulou, the European Commissioner Margaritis Schinas, and the Minister of Immigration and Asylum, Notis Mitarakis, will be present at Kara Tepe during the Pope's visit.

Source: APE-MPA