Pope says Mediterranean is ‘Europe’s biggest cemetery’ as he mourns migrant dead
- Pope Francis remembered the thousands of migrants who had died trying to reach Europe, especially 800 who died when their boat capsized in 2015
- He also called for food aid to reach the people of Ethiopia’s conflict-wracked Tigray region
During his Angelus prayer, he noted a ceremony taking place in Sicily to mark the April 2015 tragedy when an estimated 800 migrants heading from Libya to Italy drowned when their boat capsized.
“This symbol of so many tragedies of the Mediterranean Sea will continue to challenge the conscience of all and encourage the growth of a more united humanity, which breaks down the wall of indifference,” he said.
“Let us think about it: the Mediterranean has become Europe’s largest cemetery.”
Thousands of people hoping for a new life in Europe set off from North Africa each year, more often than not in overcrowded, leaky boats run by unscrupulous people smugglers.
More than a dozen boats arrived on Italy’s tiny island of Lampedusa on Saturday, according to the Ansa news agency, with more than 1,200 migrants held in emergency facilities there.