SOFIA, Bulgaria — Pope Francis urged Bulgarians on Sunday to open their hearts and homes to migrants, arguing that a country like Bulgaria, which is losing so much of its population to emigration, should well understand the forces that drive people to leave their native lands. On Monday, Francis will visit a refugee centre in a former school on the outskirts of Sofia. Radostina Belcheva of the Council of Refugee Women in Bulgaria said Francis’ visit will show solidarity with those in need. From an economic standpoint, however, Bulgaria, the EU’s poorest nation, may need more immigration to stabilize its future. Despite the small numbers of Catholics, Bulgarians are particularly fond of one of the 20th century Catholic Church’s most important figures, Pope John XXIII.

Source: National Post May 05, 2019 06:13 UTC