Greece gears up for visit by Pope Francis

Pope Francis heads to Greece on Saturday for the second leg of his trip. On Friday, workers and volunteers worked on preparations at the Catholic Cathedral of St. Dionysius the Areopagite, a venue that Pope Francis is scheduled to visit.

Nearby, cleaners were putting the finishing touches outside the Presidential Palace where the pontiff is expected to meet President Katerina Sakellaropoulou and Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis for talks. The Pope's five-day visit to Orthodox Cyprus and Greece is largely focused on the plight of migrants because Europe hardens policies to control its borders.

Talks on Saturday will turn to an emerging alliance between the eastern and western branches of Christianity to face major global problems including climate change. During his visit to the Greek capital, Francis will hold a Mass at Megaron Concert Hall. Then, the Pope will visit the Aegean Sea island of Lesbos on Sunday.