Pope Leo preached on Lampedusa Island, using the occasion of U.S. Independence Day to urge both America and Europe to help migrants and the most vulnerable, reminding that the U.S. was also founded by immigrants.
Foreign news agencies reported that Pope Leo XIV, who previously clashed with the Trump administration over strict immigration enforcement, spent Saturday, 4 Jul 2026, U.S. Independence Day, commemorating and honoring the tens of thousands who died trying to reach Europe in search of freedom and prosperity.
While the United States celebrated the 250th anniversary of its Declaration of Independence with parades, parties, and fireworks, the first pope in history born in the U.S. visited Lampedusa Island in the Sicilian archipelago to pray at the migrants' cemetery and hold a sacred Mass for the islanders and new arrivals.
Lampedusa is a 9-kilometer-long rocky island without trees, located closer to the African continent than mainland Italy. It serves as a main entry point into Europe for hundreds of thousands of migrants traveling by boat from Libya or Tunisia, often smuggled by human trafficking networks.
Pope Leo met some migrants at the port before walking alone to the rocky shore at the winding pier, where he blessed a plaque dedicating the harbor to Pope Francis, who visited there in 2013 before celebrating Mass on the coast.
“This is a place where actions speak louder than words,” Pope Leo said. “But actions are truly humane only when they come from the heart.”
During his visit to Lampedusa, Pope Leo intended to send a symbolic message to the U.S. and Europe about the Christian mission to protect the dignity of all human beings, especially migrants and the most vulnerable, reminding America that it was also founded by immigrants.
In a message to Americans for the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Declaration of Independence, Pope Leo emphasized that protecting unborn and all human life includes “welcoming, protecting, and assisting migrants, whose hopes, sacrifices, and dedication have been part of this nation’s history from the very beginning.”
“Welcoming them with compassion and generosity is not merely charity but an acknowledgment of the dignity inherent in every human being,” he said.
Pope Leo thanked the people of Lampedusa for the “miracle of compassion” they have shown by welcoming migrants, and urged Europe to confront current challenges and accept this responsibility.
“Here, you do not see just one person but thousands trapped in the hands of thieves who rob them of everything, brutally beat them, then leave them to die,” he said.
He added that many more people have died during the journey, “yet their presence challenges our conscience no less than those who have reached the shore and now need care and help.”
Meanwhile, the number of migrants arriving in Italy this year has noticeably decreased compared to recent years. The Ministry of Interior reported 14,464 arrivals as of Friday, 3 Jul, compared with 30,598 during the same period last year and 26,202 in 2024.
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) has recorded more than 35,000 migrants lost in the Mediterranean Sea since 2014. However, the true death toll is believed to be much higher due to countless unrecorded shipwrecks without traces.
Source:apnews