Pope Leo calls on Europe to do more for migrants
During Mass on the island of Lampedusa, Pope Leo XIV condemned the brutal treatment of migrants and refugees and the loss of life at sea, urging the world to respond concretely and compassionately to the "enormity of suffering," Qazinform News Agency reports, citing Vatican News.
During his pastoral visit, the Pope also visited the "Gateway to Europe," a monument symbolizing hope for migrants arriving by sea, and a cemetery where many who lost their lives in the Mediterranean are buried.
Pope Leo XIV traveled to the southern Italian island of Lampedusa on July 4, 2026, marking his pastoral visit with a series of deeply symbolic gestures focused on the plight of migrants and refugees.
Upon landing at 8:54 AM on the Mediterranean island, Pope Leo extended his closeness and solidarity to the island's residents, to the many migrants who have passed through Lampedusa, and to those who never completed the journey.
The Holy Father first visited the local cemetery, which includes a section for "Muslims and Catholics, for young and old, black and white, all of them lost at sea as they searched for freedom."
Pope Leo XIV then stopped at the "Gateway to Europe," a sculpture symbolizing hope for those arriving by sea, before meeting a migrant family at Favarolo Pier, which was renamed for the occasion in honor of Pope Francis.
The Pope next celebrated Mass at Lampedusa's sports field.
Earlier, Qazinform News Agency reported that Real Madrid CF had named Pope Leo XIV an honorary member of the club, the highest honor bestowed by the Spanish football giants.