In Greece, Pope to seek deeper ties with eastern churches
ABC News
Pope Francis heads to Greece for the second leg of his trip to the region with meetings in Athens aimed at bolstering recently-mended ties between the Vatican and Orthodox churches
ATHENS, Greece -- Pope Francis heads to Greece Saturday for the second leg of his trip to the region, with meetings in Athens aimed at bolstering recently-mended ties between the Vatican and Orthodox churches.
Francis’ five-day visit to predominantly Orthodox Cyprus and Greece is largely focused on the plight of migrants as Europe hardens its border control policies.
Talks on Saturday will turn to an emerging alliance between the eastern and western branches of Christianity to face major global problems including climate change.
In 2001, Pope John Paul II became the first Catholic leader to visit Greece in more than 1,200 years. Francis has accelerated inter-faith initiatives, as the two churches attempt to shift from centuries of competition and mistrust toward collaboration.
