The pope began his second day in Bulgaria with a visit to an abandoned school that had been transformed into a refugee center in Vrazhdebna, Rakovsky.
The children received him with a cheerful song.
They also gave the pope a very special gift. Each one personally delivered drawings they hand-made.
'How beautiful! Pretty!'
'How nice!'
Then Pope Francis explained that children are the bearers of joy in difficult times and asked them to always have hope.
POPE FRANCIS
'There is always hope. Today the world of migrants and refugees is a bit like a cross, a cross of humanity, and the cross is that many people suffer.'
Pope Francis took photos with the refugees and spoke with some before giving them this gift: a picture of the Blessed Mother protecting the baby Jesus, as a symbol of protection for children.
According to the latest UNHCR report, there are around 700 refugees in Bulgaria.
