Vatican City, July 3 (ANI): Pope Leo XIV will mark the 250th anniversary of US Independence by visiting Lampedusa on July 4, where he is scheduled to meet migrants, honour those who died crossing the Mediterranean and celebrate an open-air Mass, CNN reported.
Lampedusa is one of Europe’s main entry points for migrants attempting the dangerous Mediterranean crossing, many of whom lose their lives during the journey.
The issue of migrants has long been a bone of contention between the Pope, who is essentially an American, and the administration of US President Donald Trump. US Vice President JD Vance, a Catholic, has previously described the Pope’s position on the issue as ‘troubling.’
Two leaders in the US Catholic Church told CNN that the Pope’s July 4 visit to Lampedusa sends a message to the United States on immigration.
As a bishop in Peru, Pope Leo offered practical assistance to migrants fleeing Venezuela. Since becoming Pope, he has criticised the US administration’s crackdown on immigrants, describing their treatment as ‘inhuman,’ as quoted by CNN.
During his visit to Lampedusa, the Pope will lay a floral wreath on the tombs of migrants who died at sea, meet a group of migrants and celebrate an open-air Mass, per CNN.
Since his election, the Pope has appointed several bishops who came to the US as migrants, including one who was smuggled in from El Salvador aged 18 in the back of a car.
Pope Leo will follow in the footsteps of his predecessor, Pope Francis, who visited Lampedusa soon after his election to highlight the plight of those dying in sea crossings on makeshift boats.
US President Donald Trump launched tirades against the Pope following his opposition to the war in Iran. The cardinal also said that the war in Iran could not be described as just, saying that ‘all of the measures that are part of the Just War theory were violated in that action.’ Back in April, Vance said the Pope needed to be ‘careful’ when talking about theology and should remember ‘Just War’ theory when talking about the war in Iran, as per CNN. (ANI)
