Pope Francis is set to visit the Greek island of Lesbos, the center of the migration crisis, in order to meet with refugees and migrants there, Sky News reports.
According to the Vatican, the trip has been scheduled to take place on April 16, in support of the many hundreds of thousands that have made the dangerous journey to Europe.
Many of those, including women and children, have fled the civil war in Syria.
Francis, the son of Italian immigrants to Argentina, has urged Roman Catholic churches across Europe to take in migrant families.
He has also spoken of Europe's moral obligation to welcome refugees.
A visit to a camp may embarrass EU leaders already under fire from human rights groups.
Around 70 extra staff have been deployed to a detention camp on the island by the European Asylum Support Office to speed up the processing of asylum applications.
Aid workers say conditions at Moria are poor, with food limited and women and children being forced to sleep outdoors.
Thursday's announcement comes as the first deportations from Greece to Turkey got under way this week as part of an EU deal to deport those who have failed to gain asylum.
Several hundred migrants and refugees have been transported back across the Aegean Sea from the Greek islands of Lesbos and Chios.
The first boats started arriving at Dikili on the Turkish coast on Monday amid protests.
For each migrant sent back to Turkey, officials have said a legitimate refugee will be resettled in Europe.
Europe's politicians are hoping the expulsions will deter people from boarding smugglers boats, but already there are signs it is not working.
Migrants are continuing to arrive in Lesbos, despite the threat of being sent back.
Aid workers who are being allowed inside Moria told Sky News some Syrians have threatened to jump overboard if they are put on ships back to Turkey.
However, the reality is many thousands in Greece are likely to be returned in the coming weeks.