Pope urges Europe to do more for migrants as he visits gateway island - BBC News

The pontiff pays tribute to migrants who lost their lives at sea at a cemetery on the Italian island of Lampedusa.

Image source, Vatican MediaImage caption, Pope Leo visited the Gate of Europe monument in Lampedusa

Pope Leo XIV has called on European leaders to rise to the "momentous challenge" of handling migration as he visited the Italian island of Lampedusa.

The pontiff urged Europe to help new arrivals integrate better and improve conditions in their home countries, during a mass on the island, which receives tens of thousands of migrants a year.

"Those who have lost their lives in this sea are victims both of decisions that were made and of decisions that were not made," the Pope said.

Since becoming the head of the Catholic Church in May 2025, the Pope has repeatedly called for greater support for migrants and criticised anti-migrant policies.