Pope Leo XIV delivered a powerful appeal for compassion, solidarity, and respect for human life during a meeting with migrants and the organizations that rescue and accompany them in Gran Canaria, reminding the world that every person possesses an inherent dignity that cannot be diminished by borders or circumstances.
Speaking at the port of Arguineguín in Spain’s Canary Islands, a major arrival point for migrants attempting the dangerous Atlantic crossing from Africa, the Holy Father reflected on the human suffering witnessed along one of the world’s deadliest migration routes.
According to Vatican News, Pope Leo emphasized that “human dignity has no passport and does not lose its value when crossing a border.”
The Pope met with migrants, maritime rescuers, Caritas volunteers, anti-trafficking advocates, and others who work directly with those seeking safety and opportunity in Europe. Throughout the gathering, he listened to testimonies from people whose lives have been shaped by migration, rescue efforts, and the struggle against human trafficking.
Drawing from Christ’s teaching in Matthew 25, Pope Leo said places like Arguineguín reveal the Gospel in a concrete way because migrants often arrive “stripped of almost everything, but never of their dignity.”
According to Vatican News, the Holy Father challenged Christians to recognize Christ in those who arrive exhausted and afraid after dangerous journeys.
“Here the Gospel pulls us out of our comfortable position as spectators and places before us a brother or a sister who has arrived,” Pope Leo said. “It asks us if we have recognised Christ in those who disembark, marked by fear, hunger and violence, after enduring the desert, the night and the sea.”
Reflecting on his role as the Successor of St. Peter, the Pope noted that Christ called Peter to become a “fisher of people.” He said the Church cannot ignore the suffering witnessed on the docks where migrants arrive, nor can it remain silent when lives are lost at sea.
According to Vatican News, Pope Leo also warned of the criminal networks that exploit vulnerable people. Using biblical imagery, he described the sea as a place where hope and danger coexist and spoke of modern-day “monsters” that prey upon migrants.
“Even today, monsters lurk in these seas,” he said, referring to “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.”
One of the most moving moments of the gathering centered on the testimony of maritime rescue captain Tito Villarmea, who recounted rescuing a woman and a child from the sea. After reaching safety, the woman revealed that the child, who appeared to be a boy, was actually a girl whose identity had been concealed for protection.
The Pope used the story to remind listeners that migrants are not statistics but human beings with names, families, and hopes.
“Only then can we understand that that little girl could be our daughter, and that those faces could be part of our family,” he said.
The Holy Father also addressed the suffering of trafficking victims through the testimony of a Nigerian woman identified as Blessing, whose story was shared during the meeting. According to Vatican News, Blessing described fleeing poverty, enduring exploitation, and being forced into prostitution after falling victim to traffickers.
Speaking directly to victims of trafficking, Pope Leo offered a message of hope and healing.
“If others have put a price on your body, know that God has never ceased to recognise your inestimable worth,” he said.
The Pope continued, “If others treat you like an object, the Church wants to tell you today that you are a daughter and a sister; you are a blessing.”
Throughout his address, Pope Leo called on governments and international institutions to take shared responsibility for addressing migration. According to Vatican News, he urged nations to create legal and safe migration pathways, strengthen protections for trafficking victims, combat smuggling networks, and promote authentic integration for newcomers.
At the same time, he stressed that people should not be forced to leave their homelands because of poverty, violence, corruption, persecution, or environmental devastation.
“There is also the right not to have to migrate,” the Pope said, emphasizing the importance of building societies where people can remain safely in their own countries.
The gathering concluded with a floral tribute and a moment of silence for those who have died attempting dangerous sea crossings. Before departing, Pope Leo blessed a cross made from the wood of a migrant boat, entrusting those lost at sea to God’s mercy.
His final challenge echoed across the harbor and beyond.
“Today, here by the sea, every individual that arrives asks us what remains of our humanity,” Pope Leo said. “Sooner or later, it will be known whether we protected life or whether we yielded to indifference.”
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