Orthodox Church snubs Pope Francis Balkan visit

Pope Francis leaves for a three-day trip to Bulgaria and North Macedonia which will include a visit to a refugee camp outside Sofia and a commemoration of Mother Teresa, the most famous native of the Macedonian capital Skopje. [AFP]

Pope Francis arrives in Bulgaria on Sunday, where he will meet members of the tiny Catholic community, but the Orthodox Church has rejected the idea of holding joint prayers with the pontiff.

Highlights of the three-day tour, which also takes in North Macedonia, include a visit to a refugee camp on the outskirts of Sofia and a commemoration of Mother Teresa, the most famous native of the Macedonian capital Skopje.