Pope Francis delivered a powerful message on Saturday, denouncing “belligerent nationalisms” and rallying for a unified, pan-European approach to tackle the migration crisis and prevent the Mediterranean, where countless lives have been lost, from turning into “the graveyard of dignity.”
In a lengthy address that marked the conclusion of a Church conference on Mediterranean concerns held in Marseille, a historic French port steeped in a rich tapestry of cultures and faiths, Pope Francis voiced his strong support for embracing migrants.
He lamented, “There is a cry of pain that resonates most of all, and it is turning the Mediterranean, the ‘mare nostrum’, from the cradle of civilization into the ‘mare mortuum’, the graveyard of dignity: it is the stifled cry of migrant brothers and sisters.” He used Latin terms, signifying “our sea” and “sea of death.”
The Pope’s visit to Marseille included a warm reception at the windswept portside conference center by President Emmanuel Macron. The two leaders were scheduled for a private meeting later in the day before Pope Francis returned to Rome.
Earlier in the day, the Pope commenced his visit by touring a center for the needy in the Saint Mauront district of Marseille, one of France’s most economically disadvantaged areas. The center is run by the order of nuns established by Saint Mother Teresa.
During the conference, Pope Francis advocated for “an ample number of legal and regular entrances” for migrants, emphasizing the importance of welcoming those fleeing war, hunger, and poverty, rather than prioritizing the preservation of one’s own well-being.
According to the UN Refugee Agency UNHCR, approximately 178,500 migrants have reached Europe via the Mediterranean this year, with approximately 2,500 deaths or disappearances reported. Several European governments, including Italy, Hungary, and Poland, are led by leaders openly opposed to immigration.
Pope Francis called upon the world to “hear the cries of pain” emanating from North Africa and the Middle East, declaring, “How greatly we need this at the present juncture when antiquated and belligerent nationalisms seek to diminish the dream of a global community of nations!” He refrained from specifying any particular countries.
While Pope Francis has consistently advocated for the equitable distribution of migrants among the 27 EU member states, his broad-minded stance on migration, which has included characterizing their exclusion as “scandalous, disgusting, and sinful,” has drawn criticism from conservative politicians.
Throughout his 27-hour visit, migration issues have taken center stage. On Friday, he asserted that migrants at risk of drowning at sea “must be rescued” because doing so was “a duty of humanity.” He also condemned those who obstruct such rescues as committing “a gesture of hate.”
