Pope to seek deeper ties with Eastern churches

Pope’s five-day visit will end on Monday. Pic/AFP

Pope Francis arrived in Athens on Saturday for the second leg of a five-day visit to Cyprus and Greece aimed at bolstering recently mended ties between the Vatican and Greek orthodox churches. Francis is set to hold meetings about an emerging alliance between the eastern and western branches of Christianity to respond to climate change and other major global problems. The Pope's trip to the region also has focused on the plight of asylum-seekers as some European nations harden their border control policies.

The Pope has accelerated interfaith initiatives as the Catholic and Greek orthodox churches attempt to shift from centuries of competition and mistrust toward collaboration. In Athens, he will meet the leader of Greece's orthodox church, Archbishop Ieronymos, as well as with the country's political leaders, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and President Katerina Sakellaropoulou.

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