Pope renews support for migrants during Canary Islands visit

Pope Leo XIV reiterated his support for migrants on Friday during a visit to Spain’s Canary Islands, stressing that “all of us are migrants” and calling on newcomers to actively integrate into the societies that receive them.

His remarks came on the final day of a weeklong trip to Spain centered on migration-related issues, News.Az reports, citing AFP.

Speaking at a meeting in Tenerife with organizations working with migrants, the pope described integration as a “reciprocal journey.” He encouraged migrants to learn the language of their host country, respect its laws, become familiar with local customs, and take part in community life.

Leo also cautioned against what he described as a “silent shipwreck” that many migrants experience after reaching their destination. He said some are left isolated in unfamiliar cities, lacking a voice, social connections, employment opportunities, or a sense of security, making them vulnerable to exploitation.

Tenerife is one of Spain’s Canary Islands in the Atlantic Ocean, a region that has become a major entry point for tens of thousands of irregular migrants seeking better opportunities in Europe.

The head of the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics concluded his visit by renewing calls for greater assistance for migrants and stronger measures against human trafficking, at a time when immigration continues to be a highly debated political issue.

He also appealed directly to “those who organise death routes” and engage in human trafficking, urging them to “stop and repent.” The pope raised his voice to emphasize the message, drawing applause from the audience.

The US-born pope is expected to celebrate an open-air mass later on Friday in the port of Santa Cruz de Tenerife in front of tens of thousands of people

"In a sense, all of us are migrants, for we are all pilgrims on our way to our heavenly homeland," he said earlier in an address to hundreds of migrants at Las Raices (The Roots), a reception centre housed in a former military barracks that was initially heavily criticised for overcrowding.

Nearly 1,200 people died or went missing travelling from Africa to the Canary Islands last year, according to the International Organization for Migration, making it one of the world's deadliest migration routes.

Europe, where governments have toughened their policies under pressure from the far right, "cannot claim to uphold human dignity while growing accustomed to the Mediterranean and the Atlantic becoming unmarked graves", he said.

From Tenerife, the pope will fly to Rome and is expected to speak to reporters on the plane.

On July 4, Leo is scheduled to visit another port of call for migrants entering Europe, the Italian island of Lampedusa, solidifying the plight of migrants as a hallmark of his papacy.

News.Az 

By Nijat Babayev