Pope Leo XIV remembers drowned refugees on Lampedusa, an arrival point for migrants

Pope Leo XIV made a stop on Lampedusa, a crucial arrival point for migrants crossing the Mediterranean, to honor those who perished at sea. He laid flowers at their graves and observed a moment of silent prayer before meeting with survivors.

The southern European island frequently buries drowned refugees, many without identification. Lampedusa gained international attention in 2013 after a shipwreck claimed 368 lives off its coast. Since then, thousands more have died on the Mediterranean route, with the International Organization for Migration's "Missing Migrants" project recording 35,070 deaths or disappearances in the Mediterranean since 2014.

The cemetery on Lampedusa continues to expand. Pope Leo XIV's visit aligns with the refugee advocacy of his predecessor, Pope Francis, who visited the island before the 2013 tragedy to draw attention to the migrants' often fatal journeys. The current Pope will bless a memorial stele dedicated to Francis and celebrate an open-air mass before returning to Rome.