Pope receives refugee group on his 85th birthday

The group posed for a picture with Pope Francis

Source: Vatican News

Pope Francis received a group of refugees arriving from Cyprus in the Vatican's Apostolic Palace on Friday morning, the day of his birthday.

The group of ten people is the first scheduled to arrive in Italy with the Community of Sant'Egidio, following an agreement reached between the Holy See and the Italian and Cypriot Authorities during the Pope's recent Apostolic Journey to Cyprus and Greece.

Pope Francis welcomed the refugees in the Throne Room, and listened to their stories and those of their journeys from Congo-Brazzaville, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Cameroon, Somalia, and Syria. Some of them are doctors and computer technicians. The refugees will be supported directly by the Holy Father, while Sant'Egidio will take care of their integration in Italy through a one-year migrant program.

"You saved us!" a Congolese boy told the Pope. The Holy Father warmly welcomed the refugees addressing them individually and thanking them for their visit.

Wishing him "long life and good health" on his birthday, the refugees greeted the Pope with a picture by an Afghan refugee depicting migrants attempting to cross the Mediterranean.

Pope Francis asked about a little girl he met in the Mavrouni Camp, in Lesbos, who will arrive in Italy with her family to be treated in the coming days. After a photograph together, he left the group asking everyone to pray for him.

Watch a Vatican Youtube channel film of the meeting: www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ORfarHlK1g