Pope Leo XIV has called on European leaders to rise to the “momentous challenge” of handling migration as he visited the Italian island of Lampedusa.
The pontiff urged Europe to help new arrivals integrate better and improve conditions in their home countries, during a mass on the island, which receives tens of thousands of migrants a year.
“Those who have lost their lives in this sea are victims both of decisions that were made and of decisions that were not made,” the Pope said.
Since becoming the head of the Catholic Church in May 2025, the Pope has repeatedly called for greater support for migrants and criticised anti-migrant policies.
His trip comes two weeks after the EU approved tougher migrants rules that allow stricter border controls and broader detention powers.
It marks a wider trend of governments hardening their stance on undocumented migration, with many, including the UK and Italy, adopting measures aimed at deterring it.
The Pope began the trip with a visit to a cemetery on Lampedusa and prayed at the graves of migrants who had died while making the dangerous journey from Africa to Europe across the Mediterranean Sea.
He also stood at the “Door of Europe” memorial for those who had perished attempting the crossing and spoke to a migrant family.
“From this far-flung corner of Europe on the Mediterranean Sea, one can more clearly perceive the momentous challenge that the phenomenon of migration poses to European societies,” the Pope told Catholics on the island.
Credit: bbc.com
