Pope Leo bows to migrants' 'dignity' in Gran Canaria

Lead

Pope Leo XIV has used his visit to Spain's Canary Islands to condemn what he called 'indifference' toward migrants and to urge world leaders to treat refugees and migrants more humanely, as reported by France 24 and Al Jazeera. The visit, part of a weeklong tour of Spain, has focused on migration issues, with the pope addressing crowds at the port of Arguineguin on Gran Canaria and later in Tenerife.

Coverage comparison

Coverage of the pope's visit has been broadly sympathetic, though with different emphases. Al Jazeera reported the pope's appeal to world leaders, warning that history would condemn those who allowed people fleeing war or poverty to suffer. It also carried his warning to human traffickers that they will face God's wrath if they continue to exploit desperate African people. France 24 highlighted his condemnation of 'indifference' and his tribute to the dead, while also noting his call for migrants to integrate by learning the language and respecting laws of host countries. BBC — World framed the visit as a counterpoint to talk of a migration 'crisis', emphasising the pope's call for 'safe and legal pathways' to Europe. Deutsche Welle focused on the wreath-laying ceremony and the broader criticism of European governments, noting the pope's remark that the Atlantic and Mediterranean risk becoming 'unmarked graves'.

Key claims

The pope visited the port of Arguineguin on Gran Canaria island, where he met migrants and those who help them, and cast a wreath (or bouquet, as France 24 described it) into the sea in memory of those who died attempting to reach Europe, according to Deutsche Welle and France 24. Al Jazeera reported that he was to meet about 1,000 migrants on Friday, though that figure was not repeated elsewhere in the material.

Addressing the crowd, the pope said: 'Human dignity has no passport and does not lose its value when crossing a border.' He also said, 'May history not accuse us of turning the pain of those who suffer into a common sight along our shores,' as quoted by Al Jazeera. France 24 reported his warning that 'monsters lurk in these seas: mafias that profit from despair, traffickers who enslave women and children, and those whose indifference allows the poor to be swallowed up by exploitation or forgetfulness.'

The pope's criticism was directed at European politicians in particular. Deutsche Welle quoted him appealing to the continent's 'conscience', arguing that Europe 'cannot claim to uphold human dignity while being unconcerned by the Mediterranean and the Atlantic becoming unmarked graves.' A similar sentiment was reported by France 24, which quoted him saying Europe 'cannot claim to uphold human dignity while growing accustomed to the Mediterranean and the Atlantic becoming unmarked graves.'

On Friday, in Tenerife, the pope urged migrants to integrate, saying 'all of us are migrants' and calling integration a 'reciprocal journey'. He asked newcomers to learn the language of their host country, respect its laws, and participate in communal life, as reported by France 24. He also implored receiving communities to help those fleeing war, poverty, and climate change, warning of the 'silent shipwreck' of abandonment.

The pope also warned human traffickers directly, saying 'Stop. Repent' and that they would have to appear before divine justice, as reported by Al Jazeera. He raised his voice for emphasis, according to France 24, which also reported his call for those who organise death routes to 'stop and repent'.

Statistics on deaths on the Atlantic route vary across reports. Al Jazeera reported that at least 3,090 people died in 2025 trying to reach the Canary Islands, while France 24 reported that nearly 1,200 people died or went missing on the route from Africa to the Canary Islands last year, citing the International Organization for Migration. Deutsche Welle cited the IOM's Missing Migrants Project as suggesting some 6,600 people have died on the Atlantic route from West Africa since records began in 2014. BBC — World noted that the number of migrant arrivals by sea to Spain has fallen significantly this year, citing UNHCR data, but did not provide a specific figure.

The visit fulfilled a wish of the previous pope, Francis, who died a year ago without making a planned trip to the islands, as reported by Al Jazeera. The Canary Islands have become one of the main gateways into Europe for people fleeing conflict and poverty, with migration peaking in 2024 when the islands received 46,843 migrants, according to official data cited by Al Jazeera.