Pope Leo XIV visited the Mediterranean island of Lampedusa and urged European and US leaders to respond to migrants with solidarity, not prevention.
The first pope from the US chose to visit on July 4, coinciding with the 250th anniversary of US independence, on an island synonymous with migrants risking their lives to reach Europe's "gateway".
The symbolic visit reinforced the message he has repeatedly delivered since becoming Pope, that migrants should be treated as people in need of protection, not primarily as a security challenge.
The visit comes less than two weeks after the European Union agreed to new migration rules that expand detention powers and allow for deportation centres outside the bloc.
The visit also comes after months of Pope Leo criticizing harsh immigration policies, including measures taken by the government of US President Donald Trump.
By choosing to visit Europe's migration border on America's Independence Day, the Pope also delivered one of the clearest political messages of his pontificate - urging Western leaders to put compassion and shared responsibility at the center of migration policy.
"From this remote corner of Europe in the Mediterranean Sea, we can better understand the great challenges posed by the phenomenon of migration for European society," Leo told residents and pilgrims gathered on the island, reported ANTARA from Anadolu, Monday, July 6.
However, he stressed that Europe was able to overcome this problem through policies that "accept, protect, support, and integrate migrants" while helping the country of origin "so that no one is forced to emigrate."
The one-day visit also underscored a pivotal moment in the papacy of Pope Francis, Leo's predecessor.
In 2013, Francis chose Lampedusa for his first trip outside Rome, drawing global attention to migrants crossing the Mediterranean Sea.
By retracing much of that journey, Leo underscored a continuity of attitude between the two popes on migration.
Leo began by praying at the graves of migrants who died while trying to cross from North Africa.
Then he stood facing the sea that separates Africa and Europe, one of the world's deadliest migration routes, before visiting the "Gateway to Europe" monument and meeting a family of migrants.
At the outdoor Mass, the world's highest-ranking Catholic compared migrants to wounded travelers in the Gospel parable of the Good Samaritan.
"Here, you have seen not just one, but thousands of human beings falling into the hands of robbers who have taken everything from them, beaten them brutally and left them in a half-dead state," he said.
Pope Leo then paid tribute to those who died at sea, saying their presence challenged the conscience of Europe, no less than those who survived the journey.
Lampedusa, about 145 kilometers from Tunisia, has long been the focus of Europe's migration debate.
More than 14,000 migrants arrived in Italy during the first half of the year, according to the U.N. refugee agency, with nearly 60 percent landing on the island. Most set off from Libya.
Leo repeatedly thanked the residents of Lampedusa for welcoming the migrants and supporting the rescue efforts. He appreciated their actions as a "miracle of mercy."
The timing and location of the visit reinforced his political message. As governments across Europe and the US increasingly focus on border controls, deportations and preventative measures, Leo is using one of the world's most famous migration borders to fight for a more humane approach.
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