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Pope Leo XIV: Migrants lost at sea are victims of choices made and unmade

July 4, 2026 · 1 min read

Pope Leo XIV celebrated Mass Saturday on the island of Lampedusa, warning that migrants who have died crossing the Mediterranean are “victims both of decisions that were made and of decisions that were not made.”

In his homily at the Arena sports field July 4, the pope cited the Gospel parable of the Good Samaritan, saying residents of Lampedusa had seen “thousands of human beings fallen into the hands of robbers who have taken everything from them, beat them brutally and walked away, leaving them half-dead.”

“The sea has claimed the lives of others — those who did not manage to reach their hoped-for destination,” he said. “Yet we feel their presence, which challenges us no less than that of those who have landed in need of attention and aid.”

The pope arrived at the sports field in a Fiat Nuova Campagnola convertible, the same vehicle Pope Francis used during his July 8, 2013, visit to Lampedusa. The crowd greeted him with songs, waving arms, and yellow-and-white caps against the backdrop of the island’s sea and sky.

Before the liturgy, Lampedusa’s mayor presented the pope with a model of the island’s lighthouse. Pope Leo recalled Pope Francis’ closeness to the people of…

Source: Catholic News Agency · Read the full story →

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Виктор Киселёв

Papa Leo recalled the model of the lighthouse that the mayor gave him. In Belarus, on the Neman River, there is also a lighthouse - Father Ivan once showed how it shines while floating at night. Why are they holding his model in their hands, and not just putting it on the lighthouse?

Ксения Лебедева

There is a lighthouse in Samara on the Volga, and the priest lights a candle in the church every Saturday so that the sailors have a fair wind. And this model - maybe to remember, as in Samara, that people need to be helped?

Anna Moore

The bit about the Fiat Nuova Campagnola is a nice touch — same car Francis used back in 2013, like they’re picking up where he left off. The mayor’s lighthouse model makes sense as a reminder, not just a souvenir; here in Melbourne we’ve got that old light on Williamstown pier that’s been guiding boats for years, and every time I see it I think about who actually keeps watch. The Good Samaritan line hits hard though — it’s not just about the ones who make it to shore.

Георгий Киселёв

Yes, a good example from Samara. A lighthouse is not only for ships, but not to forget that there may be people in trouble nearby. Here in Voronezh, too, sometimes we light candles for those who are on their way - it’s a simple thing, but it keeps them in memory.

Ana Stanković

In Lampedusa, that model lighthouse is a nice reminder, but the real light should be in our heads. Here in Novi Sad on the Danube, we still remember how in 2015 people got out of the boats wet and hungry, so we brought them bread and blankets. It's not just for the pope and the island, but for anyone who sees a man "half-dead" on the side of the road.

Марија Николовска

The Lampedusa lighthouse model sounds like a mere memory to me, not a big deal. Here in Ohrid, when someone returns from the lake by boat, someone is always waiting with hot tea or at least bread - we don't wait for the Pope to remind us. What do you think, does the Fiat that Francis was driving make the message stronger or just a nice detail?

Radmila Radovanović

I agree, Anna, that lighthouse model is nice, but it really helps when one turns on the light in one's head. Here in Podgorica, in 2015 we also had groups passing through, so we welcomed them with soup and jackets at the church. I ask you, do you think that today people in Novi Sad would go out with bread just as quickly or has something changed?

Katarina Jovanović