Pope Leo XIV has called on Americans to welcome immigrants with compassion and generosity as he visited the Italian island of Lampedusa, one of Europe’s main entry points for migrants crossing the Mediterranean Sea.
During the visit, which coincided with the United States’ 250th Independence anniversary, the pontiff said protecting human life includes welcoming, supporting, and assisting migrants, whose contributions have helped shape American society throughout history.
The Pope began his visit at the “Door to Europe” memorial, which honours thousands of migrants who have died or gone missing while attempting to cross the Mediterranean. He later visited a cemetery containing the graves of migrants, where he paid tribute to those who lost their lives during the dangerous journey.
Pope Leo also met with migrants living on the island, including a young man named Leo, who arrived in Lampedusa as a child after losing his mother during a migration journey. The young man presented the Pope with a football and a letter, expressing hope that the gift would one day bring comfort to another migrant child.
Speaking during an open-air Mass attended by hundreds of people, the Pope urged European governments to strengthen efforts to receive, protect, support, and integrate migrants while also investing in developing countries to reduce the conditions that force people to leave their homes.
He stressed that responding to the migration crisis is a shared responsibility that extends beyond governments to civil society and religious institutions.
The visit also echoed the message of his predecessor, Pope Francis, who made a landmark visit to Lampedusa in 2013 to draw global attention to the humanitarian crisis in the Mediterranean.
