Greece prepares to welcome Pope Francis

Pope Francis will travel to Greece in early December, becoming the second pontiff to visit the predominantly Greek Orthodox country since the Great Schism divided Christianity into Eastern and Western branches.

Pope Francis will visit Athens from December 4-6, after first visiting Cyprus.

At the Greek capital's Catholic Cathedral, Father George Dagas called the pope's visit "a dream come true."

Dagas said the Catholic congregation is small but multicultural and saw the pontiff's visit as a "visible sign of unity" for Catholics but also for all Christians.

Members of the Catholic church choir said they looked forward to performing for the pope.

There are only about 50,000 Greek Catholics among a population of nearly 11 million.

Christianity split into the Orthodox and Roman Catholic branches nearly a thousand years ago over issues including papal authority.

Ioannis Panagiotopoulos, an associate professor of church history at the Theological School of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens said the presence of the pope in both Greece and Cyprus signalled a return to a "normal relationship" between the East and West so that Christians could be united.

Pope Francis is to meet with Greek officials, including Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, as well as Greek Orthodox Archbishop of Athens Ieronymos.

He will also hold Mass and meet with young people at a school.

Pope John Paul II made a historic visit to the Greek capital in 2001 in a 24-hour pilgrimage to retrace the steps of the Apostle Paul.

IMAGE: AP