Pope aids in refugee transfers
NICOSIA, Cyprus – Pope Francis on Friday denounced the “culture of indifference” that the West shows migrants as the Vatican confirmed that at least a dozen asylum-seekers would be transferred from Cyprus to Italy in a gesture of solidarity with European countries that have received a disproportionate share of would-be refugees.
The transfer was announced on the second day of Francis’ visit to Cyprus, on the eve of his scheduled arrival in Greece, from where he brought a dozen Syrian Muslim refugees home aboard the papal plane in 2016.
The Vatican said the Rome-based Sant’egidio Community, working with governments, had arranged to bring the asylum-seekers from Cyprus to Italy in the coming weeks. It said 12 people would be initially transferred. Earlier, the Cypriot Interior Ministry had thanked Francis and the Holy See for the initiative to relocate 50 people, saying it was a recognition of Cyprus’ inability to continue to absorb migrants and refugees.
The Vatican didn’t immediately respond when asked about the discrepancy, though presumably more could be relocated at a later date.
Cyprus’ interior minister, Nicos Nouris, insisted to The Associated Press that arrangements had been made to transfer 50 people in total.
Francis himself didn’t confirm the initiative during a Friday evening prayer service with migrants in the Church of the Holy Cross in Nicosia, the capital. But he made it clear that countries had a moral obligation to accept those who flee war, hatred and oppression.