Pope marks July 4 by praying in Lampedusa for migrants who died seeking freedom and prosperity

By — Nicole Winfield, Associated Press Nicole Winfield, Associated Press By — Andrea Rosa, Associated Press Andrea Rosa, Associated Press Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/pope-marks-july-4-by-praying-in-lampedusa-for-migrants-who-died-seeking-freedom-and-prosperity Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Pope marks July 4 by praying in Lampedusa for migrants who died seeking freedom and prosperity World Jul 4, 2026 3:41 PM EDT LAMPEDUSA, Sicily (AP) — Pope Leo XIV, who has sparred with the Trump administration over its immigration crackdown, spent the Fourth of July on Saturday in the epicenter of Europe's migration debate to honor the tens of thousands of people who have died trying to reach Europe to find freedom and prosperity. While the United States marks the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence with rallies, parties and fireworks, history's first U.S.-born pope traveled to the Sicilian island of Lampedusa to pray at a migrant cemetery and celebrate a solemn Mass for the island's residents and newest arrivals. READ MORE: Pope Leo XIV exalts first American saint Cabrini as a model for Christians for her care of migrants A treeless strip of rock 9 kilometers (5.6 miles) long, Lampedusa is closer to Africa than the Italian mainland and is the main port of entry into Europe for hundreds of thousands of migrants who crossed by boat from Libya or Tunisia, often smuggled by human traffickers. Leo met with some migrants at the port and then walked alone onto the jagged jetty rocks, the wind whipping his cassock and blowing his zucchetto skullcap off as he looked out to the sea. He then blessed a plaque dedicating the dock to Pope Francis, who visited in 2013, before celebrating Mass on land. "This is a place where gestures speak louder than words," Leo said. "But for gestures to be human, they need a heart." In making the visit on this particular Saturday, Leo was sending a powerfully symbolic message to the United States and Europe of the Christian obligation to uphold the dignity of every human being, migrants and the most vulnerable especially, while reminding the United States that it was founded by immigrants. In a letter sent to Americans on the July 4 anniversary, Leo insisted that protecting the unborn and all human life also means "welcoming, protecting and assisting immigrants, whose hopes, sacrifices and contribution have formed part of the history of this country from its very beginning." "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 wrote. A tiny island becomes Ground Zero for European migration In recent years, Lampedusa has become Ground Zero of Europe's migration debate as the continent struggles to police its borders while honoring its legal obligations to welcome refugees fleeing conflict, climate change and poverty. In his ho