Pope Leo XIV has called on Americans to welcome immigrants with “compassion and generosity,” using the United States’ Independence Day to renew his appeal for humane migration policies during a visit to the Mediterranean island of Lampedusa, one of Europe’s main entry points for migrants.
In a letter released shortly after arriving on the southern Italian island, the first American-born pontiff said the United States had been shaped by generations of immigrants whose sacrifices and contributions had enriched the nation’s history.
Marking the 250th anniversary of American independence, Pope Leo wrote that protecting human life also meant “welcoming, protecting and assisting immigrants.”
“In every generation, those who have arrived seeking freedom, opportunity and a place to belong have helped to shape the nation’s character,” the pope said.
“To receive them with compassion and generosity is not only an act of charity, but also a recognition of the dignity that belongs to every human person.”
The pope’s visit to Lampedusa, the Italian island that has become a symbol of Europe’s migration crisis, was widely viewed as a powerful statement on immigration. The island has served as the first point of arrival for hundreds of thousands of mainly African migrants attempting the dangerous Mediterranean crossing.
Pope Leo began the visit at the “Door to Europe,” a monument honouring the thousands of migrants who have died or disappeared while trying to reach Europe by sea. He paused in silent prayer as he looked across the Mediterranean before a strong gust of wind briefly swept away his white skullcap.
He later visited the island’s cemetery, where a section is dedicated to migrants who lost their lives during the perilous journey. Among those buried there is six-month-old Yusuf Ali Kanneh, who drowned in a migrant boat disaster in 2020.
The pontiff also met migrants living on the island and unveiled a commemorative plaque in honour of Pope Francis, whose landmark visit to Lampedusa in 2013 drew global attention to the humanitarian crisis in the Mediterranean.
One of the emotional moments of the visit came when the pope met a young boy named Leo, who arrived on Lampedusa a decade ago after losing his mother during the migration journey.
The boy presented the pope with a football and a heartfelt letter.
“I’m super excited to meet you! Ten years ago my story began here in Lampedusa. I was alone and had lost everything, above all my mom,” the letter read.
“They say I stopped crying only when they gave me a ball. From that day the ball stayed in my heart and I never stopped playing.
“I really hope this ball I’m giving you now can reach another child and make them happy just like it did me.”
Later, the Chicago-born pope celebrated an open-air Mass attended by cheering, flag-waving worshippers. Addressing the congregation, he urged people to perform acts that would make “the world of today and tomorrow… more human.”
In his homily, Pope Leo appealed to European governments to adopt comprehensive migration policies focused on “receiving, protecting, supporting and integrating migrants,” while also helping developing nations create conditions that would reduce the need for people to leave their homelands.
“This is a task not only for public institutions but also for civil society as a whole and for the Church,” he said.
Earlier in the day, during a ceremony in Philadelphia where he accepted the Liberty Medal, Pope Leo praised America’s long tradition of welcoming newcomers, saying the country had “opened its doors to successive waves of immigrants, enabling them and their children to play their part in shaping the future of the nation.”
