Pope calls for migrant protection during Lampedusa visit
Pope Leo XIV used a visit to the Italian island to urge Europe to protect, support and integrate migrants crossing the Mediterranean.
By James Whitfield · Staff Writer
3 min read
Pope Leo XIV called on Europe to do more to protect and integrate migrants during a one-day visit to Lampedusa, the Italian island that has become a main landing point for people crossing the Mediterranean from North Africa. AFP and Reuters reported that the trip placed the pope at the center of one of Europe’s most contentious political debates.
Speaking at Mass on Saturday, Leo described migration as a “momentous challenge” for European societies. He said Europe had the ability to respond with both immediate help and a broader plan to “receive, protect, support and integrate migrants,” according to AFP and Reuters.
The pope also urged European countries to help improve conditions in migrants’ home countries. He said people should not be compelled to leave because of poverty, insecurity or conflict, AFP and Reuters reported.
Visit to migrant graves and memorial
Leo began the visit at a cemetery where some migrants who died at sea are buried, according to AFP and Reuters. He later went to the Door of Europe memorial, which honors people who risk their lives trying to reach the continent.
The pope also blessed a plaque renaming a migrant arrival pier after Pope Francis, his predecessor. Francis visited Lampedusa in 2013 on his first trip outside Rome after becoming pope, according to AFP and Reuters.
Lampedusa sits closer to Tunisia than to mainland Italy. AFP and Reuters reported that the island has received thousands of people rescued from the central Mediterranean, a route often attempted in overcrowded boats.
Many people have died or disappeared while trying to make the crossing, according to AFP and Reuters. Leo said those deaths reflected “choices made and unmade” and said Europe should carry the memory of those lost at sea while addressing the needs of survivors.
Migration pressure in Europe
The visit came as governments in Europe and the United States have put greater stress on border enforcement, detention and deportations, AFP and Reuters reported. Leo also addressed migration in a separate message to Americans marking the 250th anniversary of US independence.
In that message, the first US-born pope said the defense of human life included “welcoming, protecting and assisting immigrants,” according to AFP and Reuters.
More than 14,000 migrants have reached Italy by sea so far this year, the United Nations refugee agency said. More than half of them landed in Lampedusa, according to the agency.
The International Organization for Migration said more than 1,400 people have died or gone missing in the Mediterranean this year. The pope’s remarks linked those losses to policy choices and called for Europe to combine rescue, reception and integration with efforts to address why people leave home.
This story draws on original reporting from Al Jazeera.