Pope arrives in Greece to visit Lesbos refugee camp

Pope Francis has arrived on the Greek island of Lesbos in a show of support for refugees trying to reach Europe.

The Pope will visit the Moria detention centre that currently houses over 3,000 people who are awaiting either the processing of asylum claims or deportation to Turkey.

He is being accompanied by Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople - the spiritual head of the world's Orthodox Christians.

At the camp, the Pope will meet unaccompanied migrant children, and will observe a minute's silence for people who have died making dangerous sea crossings to Europe in search of a better life.

On the eve of the visit, a Syrian attempted to kill himself at the camp after being told he would be deported back to Turkey but was prevented by police.

Asylum seekers later demonstrated at the camp, demanding better treatment and to stay in Europe. Syrians on Lesbos say they are terrified of the thought of returning to Turkey, because of reports that hundreds of Syrians have been forcible deported from Turkey back to Syria.

Turkey has denied sending any refugees back to Syria against their will.

The Greek authorities have not yet commented on the man’s suicide attempt, that was confirmed by non-governmental organisations on the island.

The Vatican has insisted that the pontiff’s visit is purely humanitarian and religious in nature and should not be seen as a criticism of the EU’s recent agreement to deport failed asylum seekers back to Turkey.

However, the Vatican official in charge of migrants, Cardinal Antonio Maria Veglio, has warned the EU-Turkey deal treats migrants as merchandise and fails to recognise their dignity as human beings.