VATICAN CITY - This weekend Pope Francis wraps up a Caucasus pilgrimage that began in June in Armenia with a visit to two other countries with tiny Catholic communities. On the schedule is the Orthodox Christian bastion of Georgia, and the largely Shiite Muslim country of Azerbaijan.

The Vatican says Catholic-Orthodox and Christian-Muslim relations will be high on Francis' agenda.

It's not known exactly what the pontiff might say about Russian relations in that region. Francis is expected to make a strong appeal for peace in Syria and Iraq.