Pope Leo XIV visits Lampedusa, urges Europe to protect migrants

LAMPEDUSA, Italy — Pope Leo XIV visited the Italian island of Lampedusa on Monday, calling on European countries to protect, welcome and integrate migrants. Speaking at a Mass on the island, the pope said Europe could pair short-term rescue operations with long-term strategic planning, and that the poverty driving migration must be addressed. In his homily, he pointed to corruption in migrants' countries of origin, a global economic order that produces exclusion and fear that fuels prejudice. During the visit, the pope laid a wreath at a cemetery holding the remains of unidentified migrants and stopped at the "Porta d'Europa" (Gateway of Europe) monument. He also criticized mass deportation practices in the United States. Filippo Ungaro, a spokesperson for the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees, said the pope's message stressed protection and shared responsibility rather than closed borders. Lampedusa lies about 145 kilometers off the Tunisian coast and became a symbol of Europe's migration crisis after a major shipwreck in 2013. No further details on the pope's follow-up plans were immediately available.