Published On 4/7/2026
Pope Leo
This visit to the island, which has become a symbol of the tragedy of victims crossing the Mediterranean, highlights the growing state of intolerance and indifference towards global displacement crises.
The 70-year-old Pope, who is of American origin, sent a clear message to European and American leaders, in a move reminiscent of what was done by his predecessor, Pope Francesco, who made Lampedusa his first foreign station in 2013.
The Pope’s half-day visit to the island – whose area does not exceed 20 square kilometers and is inhabited by about 6,000 people – coincides with the 250th anniversary of the independence of the United States, and weeks after the European Union approved new measures that included increasing detention and establishing centers outside European territory.
In his sermon, the Pope stressed Europe’s ability to address the migration crisis in an integrated manner through a long-term strategic plan, which includes relief, welcome and integration, with the need to focus on development in countries of origin to prevent the drivers of forced migration.
He also denounced “indifference to the common good,” corruption, and the global economic system that generates poverty, as well as the exploitation of “criminal calculations” for the misfortunes of others.
Before delivering the sermon, the Pope performed a symbolic ceremony that included laying a wreath at a cemetery for unidentified migrants, and visiting the “Gateway to Europe.” Monument dedicated to the victims.
A “clear message” in times of closure
For his part, Filippo Ungaro, spokesman for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, said that the Pope’s presence “constitutes a clear message at a time when the global political debate on migration is increasingly focused on borders and prevention policies, rather than protection and sharing responsibility.”
Lampedusa – which is 145 kilometers from the Tunisian coast – is one of the most prominent migration routes in the world, as it witnessed in October 2013 the sinking of a boat that killed more than 360 people in the worst disaster in the island’s history.
The Pope has made defending immigrants a mainstay in his speeches, as he previously denounced mass deportation in the United States, and criticized the US administration’s treatment of immigrants, describing it as “inhumane.”
In a related context, the Pope urged immigrants to integrate by learning the language of the host country and respecting its laws and traditions.
The central Mediterranean remains the most dangerous migration route in the world, as the International Organization for Migration reports that the year 2025 recorded the death or loss of about 1,330 people while trying to cross it, amid criticism from humanitarian organizations that continue to monitor the route and accuse the European Union of failing to prevent drowning disasters.
