Pope Leo XIV. concluded Thursday’s program of his visit to the Spanish Canary Islands with a Mass held at the Gran Canaria Stadium in the city of Las Palmas. The stadium is located near the cemetery, where are the graves of unidentified victims of the so-called of the West African Atlantic migration route, reported the news website Vatican News, writes TASR.
The Pope also mentioned these victims in his sermon, when he called on the thousands present to “they prayed… for the brothers and sisters who lost their lives at sea” when trying to get to the Canary Islands. He also recalled his morning meeting with migrants in the port of Arguineguín.
Leo XIV. in his homily, he appealed to offer prayers also for those who suffer from poverty, loneliness, family problems or have nowhere to live. He emphasized that the church tries to be close to the suffering through help, acceptance and accompaniment. He called on the faithful to bring human suffering to the altar together with bread and wine, entrust them to God and ask for compassion and mercy.
The Pope also stated that true love must not be limited to social assistance, but should lead to the dignified integration of people into society. Only in this way can difficult life situations be transformed into hope for the future.
In his homily, Lev also quoted St. Augustine and emphasized that “where there is love and humility, there is peace.” He urged believers to get rid of pride and treat each other with respect, trust and forgiveness. At the end of the service, the local bishop José Mazuelos Pérez thanked the Pope for his visit and described it as spiritually significant for the entire region. The Pope presented the diocese with a chalice.
Visit of Leo XIV. in Spain, it takes place at a time when the left-wing government there, contrary to the trend in Europe and the US, advocates immigration for economic and humanitarian reasons. This year, it launched a program to legalize the residence of hundreds of thousands of people without documents. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez emphasized their contribution to a country with an aging workforce and a low birth rate.
The pope’s week-long visit to Spain, which has included stops in Madrid and Barcelona, will end on Friday in the Canary island of Tenerife, where he is scheduled to visit a migrant center.
As part of Spain, the Canary Islands are an important entry point to Europe for migrants brought there by smugglers fleeing conflict and poverty. Leo XIV. by visiting this archipelago, he fulfilled the wish of his predecessor František, who died before he could make this planned trip.
Pope Francis has set the fate of refugees as the theme of his pontificate. Leo XIV. it continues to do so, emphasizing the dignity of migrants in their native United States. On the Fourth of July, when the USA, where the Pope was born, commemorates US Independence Day, Leo will spend time on the Italian island of Lampedusa – another of the main entry points for migrants from North Africa to Europe.
Francis visited Lampedusa in 2013 on his first trip outside Rome and threw a wreath into the Mediterranean Sea in memory of the thousands of people who died during the dangerous voyage. It was on this road that he condemned “globalization of indifference”which the world shows towards migrants.
