Pope Francis Returns From Greece With 12 Migrants

The three families, including six children, are all Muslim and had their homes bombed during the Syrian war.

The Vatican said in a statement that Pope Francis wanted to “make a gesture of welcome” to the refugees.

Thousands of migrants are now stuck on Lesbos after last month’s EU-Turkey deal to try to ease the flow.

All of those leaving with the Pope were already living on Lesbos before the deal was implemented, the Vatican saidThey were reportedly selected from lots drawn, and will be
looked after initially by the Sant'Egidio community, known
for their charity work.

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Under the EU-Turkey agreement, migrants arriving illegally
on the Greek islands from Turkey after 20 March will be
deported unless they successfully claim for asylum.
In return, for every Syrian returned to Turkey, the EU will
take another Syrian directly from Turkey.

Pope Francis earlier told migrants living in the Moria camp -
some of whom are facing being sent back - "you are not
alone".

About 3,000 people are being held in the camp on Lesbos,
some of whom lined the streets with banners pleading for
help as the Pope arrived.
Some wept, others threw themselves at his feet or chanted
"freedom".
In his speech, the Pope acknowledged "the great sacrifice"
the people in the camp had made, saying he wanted to
"draw the attention of the world to this grave humanitarian
crisis".
He told the camp's residents: "Do not lose hope. The
greatest gift we can offer to one another is love."
Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, who also met the
pontiff, said the visit "sends a message that surpasses
Greece's and Europe's borders".
The Vatican has stressed the Pope's visit was purely
humanitarian and religious in nature and should not be seen
as a criticism of the deportations.