American Pope Leo visits Lampedusa, honors migrants on Fourth of July
by Lisa Hornung · UPIJuly 4 (UPI) -- Pope Leo XIV, the first American pope, spent his second Fourth of July as the pontiff at Lampedusa, Italy, an island at the forefront of the European migrant crisis, and appealed to Americans to treat immigrants with "compassion and generosity."
Leo visited Lampedusa, an Italian island in the Mediterranean Sea between Tunisia and Malta, instead of celebrating the day in the United States.
Soon after his arrival, he released a letter to Americans about the 250th Anniversary of the country's birth, reflecting on the principles that have shaped the United States for two and a half centuries, particularly religious freedom and human dignity.
In the letter Leo said that, "among the principles that have guided the development of this country is the God-given dignity of every human life, each person being endowed with an inherent worth that calls for reverence, protection and care ... and of building a society in which the vulnerable, the suffering and the forgotten are always met with compassion, solidarity and love.
"Defending human life also includes welcoming, protecting and assisting immigrants, whose hopes, sacrifices and contribution have formed part of the history of this country from its very beginning. In every generation, those who have arrived seeking freedom, opportunity and a place to belong have helped to shape the nation's character. To receive them with compassion and generosity is not only an act of charity, but also a recognition of the dignity that belongs to every human person," Leo said.
He said he hopes Americans "honor the courage and vision of those who came before them by strengthening their communities, respecting their differences and working together toward a more perfect union."
Upon landing at Lampedusa, the pope visited the "Door to Europe," a piece of art that is a memorial to thousands of migrants who died or disappeared trying to cross the sea.
He also visited the Cemetery of the Nameless in Cala Pisana to pray over the graves of migrants who died at sea. The graves are marked with crosses made from the wood of boats that sank off the island's coast, Euro News reported.
Leo then visited Molo Favaloro, a site where migrant boats are brought to shore. He unveiled and blessed a plaque dedicated to Pope Francis there. The quay there will now be named Molo Francisco. Francis visited the island in 2013.
The pope met and shook hands with 15 migrants brought from a migrant housing center run by the Red Cross. It now houses 138 people, including 51 unaccompanied minors. On Friday night, the Italian coast guard rescued 17 people aboard a small boat, Euro News said.
"By deciding to name Molo Favaloro after Pope Francis you are giving a sign of the bond my predecessor forged with your community and with migrant brothers and sisters: the Pope has stood by you in these very demanding times. And today I am here to tell you that the Pope continues to walk alongside you, to support you and encourage you," Leo wrote in a letter to the mayor of Lampedusa.
On Friday, Leo gave a virtual speech to Philadelphia when he was awarded the Liberty Medal. The medal has been awarded since 1989 and was managed by the Philadelphia Foundation until 2006, when it became part of the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia.