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 Travels of Pope Francis 2013: Lampedusa On Saturday morning, July 4, Pope Leo XIV visited the island of Lampedusa, a small outpost south of Sicily and a focal point for migration of African refugees to Europe. Following in the footsteps of his predecessor, Pope Francis, Pope Leo has strongly advocated for tolerance, respect and assistance for the migrant population. During his brief stay on the island, the pope was greeted by many of the 6000 permanent inhabitants of the island, celebrated Mass, and paid an intense visit to the "Gateway to Europe" ("Porta d'Europa"), the memorial sculpture on the island dedicated to migrants who have died at sea attempting to cross the Mediterranean from Africa to Europe.  40th Anniversary of Diplomatic Relations with the United States, 2024 Over the weekend, the pope also took part in the celebration of the 250th anniversary of the American Declaration of Independence, albeit from a distance. On Friday, a video message was aired at the meeting of the United States National Constitution Center, who in April presented the pope with its 2026 Liberty Medal, honoring his work in “promoting religious freedom and freedom of conscience and expression throughout the world”. On Saturday, the first American pope released a letter to the citizens of the United States in recognition of the anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence (the letter can be accessed by clicking this link). He capped off the day with a visit to the residence of the American Ambassador to the Holy See, Brian Burch. |
