Within the coming week Pope Francis will visit the Greek island of Lesbos, which has been dubbed “the gateway to Europe” because of the staggering number of migrants arriving to its shores, to draw attention to the plight of migrants trying to enter Europe. Commenting on the visit, L’Osservatore Romano, the Vatican’s newspaper, underscored the “increasingly precarious living conditions for thousands of refugees and migrants” who have reached the Greek island of Lesbos. The paper said that with his visit, Pope Francis would “offer a Christian response to the tragedy that is unfolding” in Greece, just as he has “pierced the veil of indifference” surrounding the migrants in recent weeks. Greek President Prokopis Pavlopoulos issued a formal invitation to the Pope to visit Lesbos on Tuesday, but the initiative for the trip came from the Pope himself. Francis reportedly made overtures to the religious authorities in Greece, and officials of the Greek Orthodox Church replied that he should visit the island of Lesbos where hundreds of thousands of refugees have arrived by boat over the past year. Though still not officially confirming the report, the Vatican has given clear indications of its trustworthiness. The papal spokesman, Father Federico Lombardi, admitted