Pope Leo XIV on Thursday continued his weeklong tour of Spain with a visit to a port in the Canary Islands that became the epicenter of a massive migration crisis that hit the islands in recent years.
The pope visited the port of Arguineguin on Gran Canaria island, where he addressed migrants and lambasted the international community and leaders, especially in Europe, over the treatment of migrants.
The visit was in line with the wider theme of his Spain tour, and satisfied the unfulfilled wish of his predecessor Pope Francis, who also adopted the cause of migrants' rights.Leo urged authorities in countries where migrants flee to improve security and economic conditionsImage: Simone Risoluti/Vatican Media/REUTERS
What did Pope Leo say in Gran Canaria?
The pontiff cast a wreath into the sea to remember the thousands who have died while attempting to cross into Europe, in a similar gesture to that done by Pope Francis during his 2013 visit to Lampedusa in Sicily, another migration flashpoint."May history not accuse us of turning the pain of those who suffer into a common sight along our shores," he said. "Today, here by the sea, every individual that arrives asks us what remains of our humanity."
