Pope thanks Lampedusa for welcoming migrants

Leo XIV recalled his predecessor Francis's first visit to Lampedusa in 2013 and announced that his greeting came "from afar today," but that he hoped to visit the island in person "soon." The Pope's video was presented as a "surprise" by Filippo Mannino, the mayor of Lampedusa, on Friday evening. The island's candidacy for UNESCO World Heritage status was presented on the island.

Pope calls for a "culture of dialogue"

"Thank you to the associations, volunteers, mayors, and administrative authorities who have offered their service over the years; to priests, doctors, security forces, and all those who, often invisibly, have shown and continue to show that a human face of solidarity and compassion is open to the survivors of their desperate journey of hope," the Pope said.

"You, the inhabitants of Lampedusa, are a bulwark against the dehumanization caused by loud arguments, age-old fears, and unjust measures. There is no justice without compassion, there is no right without listening to the pain of others," declared Leo XIV.

The Pope also recalled the many victims—including countless mothers and children—during the sea voyage to Lampedusa. "Many migrant brothers and sisters were buried on Lampedusa and rest there like seeds from which a new world can grow," he said. Echoing the words of Pope Francis, Leo XIV called on people to counter "the globalization of indifference" with a "culture of dialogue."

The Central Mediterranean route from North Africa to Italy is considered the most dangerous migration route in the world. According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), more than 2,570 people died or disappeared in the Mediterranean last year while en route to Europe.