In this video, we relive the highlights of Pope Francis' second day in Cyprus, which saw the Holy Father pay a courtesy visit to the Orthodox Archbishop of Cyprus, Chrysostomos II, meet with the Holy Synod, celebrate Holy Mass for thousands of faithful in GSP Stadium in Nicosia, and share a moment of Ecumenical Prayer with migrants in the Catholic parish of the Holy Cross.

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Father Nikodemus Schnabel, the Patriarchal Vicar of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem for Migrants and Asylum Seekers comments on the Pope’s ecumenical prayer meeting in Cyprus.

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WASHINGTON - On December 2, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced that the Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP), also known as “Remain in Mexico,” would restart the week of December 6. This announcement follows an agreement reached between the United States and Mexico to reimplement the program with certain modifications. In October, DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas issued a memorandum to terminate MPP, following a federal district court ruling vacating his earlier termination of the program. The federal government’s appeal of that ruling is pending. In the meantime, DHS is complying with the court’s order to reinstate MPP. Its revival comes as the Biden Administration continues to use Title 42 of the U.S. Code to expel asylum seekers and other vulnerable migrants, bypassing normal immigration proceedings and skirting due process protections.

The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) has opposed MPP since it was first introduced in 2019. Reaffirming that position, Bishop Mario E. Dorsonville, auxiliary bishop of Washington and chairman of the USCCB’s Committee on Migration, issued the following statement:

“We are deeply dismayed by the reimplementation of MPP. Unfortunately, attempts by the Administration to make this program ‘more humane’—however well intentioned—will not cure its inherent faults, nor will they alleviate its inevitable toll on human lives. We are especially concerned that this will perpetuate the existing tragedy of family separation, since many mothers and fathers are likely to feel compelled to part ways with their children in a desperate attempt to ensure their safety.

“On the First Sunday of Advent, Pope Francis prayed for migrants and renewed his appeal for leaders to find solutions that respect their humanity. In solidarity with the Holy Father, we strongly urge the Administration to take all necessary action to end MPP and replace it with an approach that respects human dignity, exemplifies our national values, upholds the rule of law, and embraces Christ’s call to welcome the newcomer.”

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Media Contacts: 
Chieko Noguchi or Miguel Guilarte 
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Pope Francis concludes his Apostolic Journey to Cyprus with an Ecumenical Prayer service with migrants, where he reflects on God’s dream for a “world of peace, in which all His children live as brothers and sisters.”

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The Orthodox Metropolitan Vasilios of Constantia and Famagusta is one of the Orthodox leaders welcoming Pope Francis to Cyprus.

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Pope Francis meets with Rabbi Arie Zeev Raskin and through him, extends a greeting to the Jewish community in Cyprus.

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The Pope’s words in Cyprus on Thursday portray an identikit of Christian communities that allow people to grow through accompaniment, without complaining or harbouring nostalgia for past greatness.

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In his meditations for Advent this year, the preacher of the Pontifical Household focuses on bringing to light “the inner splendour of the Church and of Christian life", without "closing one’s eyes to the reality of the facts", so that each person can face his or her responsibilities from the right perspective.

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A sequence of political crises, financial speculation, the COVID-19 pandemic, and, finally, the massive explosion at Beirut's port on 4 August 2020 have plunged Lebanon into economic disaster. However, according to Maronite Archbishop of Beirut Paul Abdel Sater, not all is lost and there still is hope.

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Pope Francis emphasizes the importance of interconnection and joint efforts in facing the challenges of the Mediterranean region, in his address to participants at the 2021 Rome MED - Mediterranean Dialogues.

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