Two Austrians and Tsipras - and Pope Francis

Sarcastic stories are floating through the interenet about Alexis Tsipras' recent 'audience' with Pope Francis. Was it an audience in the first place? Or was Tsipras in a group of people who saw the Pope? Why were there no pictures taken? Did the Pope say what Tsipras said he had said. The most sarcastic, albeit quite humorous, item was a picture showing the Pope waiving to thousands of people on St. Peter's Square suggesting that Tsipras was among the crowd and called that 'meeting the Pope'.

The fact of the matter is that there were 3 people who were received by Pope Francis and not Tsipras alone. Since the other two were Austrians, I quote what the Austrian public broadcaster reported on its website.

ORF reported that the meeting was arranged by the Austrian Franz Kornreif who is head of the Austrian branch of Fokolar Movement. That movement, according to its website, operates under the auspices of the Roman Catholic Church and its mission is to foster unity. Unity in the family, in the social-cultural, political and economic spheres; unity between the rich and the poor and between nations. Kronreif on his part is very good friends with Walter Baier, an Austrian who headed the Austrian Communist Party in the past and who is now a leading figure in transform!europe, a network of 27 European organizations from 19 countries, active in the field of political education and critical scientific analysis, and is the recognized corresponding political foundation of the European Left Party.

ORF quotes Tsipras as saying after the meeting that "even though we start from different ideological points, we believe that we have common positions in the principles of solidarity, in the principles of justice, peace and cohesion" and a Vatican spokesman as saying "the meeting with the leader of the Greek SYRIZA party Alexis Tsipras and Austrian Walter Baier was private rather than political".

Walter Baier held a press conference after the meeting in which he said that "the Pope said it is scandalous that saving banks is regarded as more important than saving people".

"The meeting with leader of the Greek SYRIZA party Alexis Tsipras and Austrian Walter Bayer was private rather than political. - See more at: http://www.grreporter.info/en/tsipras%E2%80%99_meeting_pope_was_big_gaffe/11753/#sthash.izhH1AQU.dp

He is one of the leaders of the Focolare Movement which is an organization that operates under the auspices of the Vatican and aims to establish contact between the Catholic Church and people with non-Christian views and mostly atheists.   - See more at: http://www.grreporter.info/en/tsipras%E2%80%99_meeting_pope_was_big_gaffe/11753/#sthash.izhH1AQU.dpuf

He is one of the leaders of the Focolare Movement which is an organization that operates under the auspices of the Vatican and aims to establish contact between the Catholic Church and people with non-Christian views and mostly atheists.   - See more at: http://www.grreporter.info/en/tsipras%E2%80%99_meeting_pope_was_big_gaffe/11753/#sthash.izhH1AQU.dpuf