Key facts
- Pope Leo XIV warned human traffickers to repent or face divine justice.
- He described the perilous Atlantic route to the Canary Islands as "death routes."
- The Pope's visit to the Canary Islands aimed to draw attention to the plight of migrants.
- Pope Leo XIV's return to Rome was delayed due to a technical issue with his papal plane.
- He used a jet offered by the King of Spain to return to the Vatican.
Pope Leo XIV delivered a stern warning to human traffickers on Friday, urging them to repent or face divine retribution for their exploitation of migrants. Speaking in the Canary Islands, a key entry point for migrants crossing from West Africa to Europe, Leo described the perilous Atlantic route as "death routes" and a "silent shipwreck" of abandonment.
During his final day in Spain, Leo met with humanitarian aid organizations that assist migrants. He implored receiving communities to integrate those fleeing war, poverty, and climate change, emphasizing that every life lost at sea represents a failure for humanity. The Pope's visit to the islands, which saw nearly 47,000 migrant arrivals in 2024, aimed to draw attention to the plight of migrants and uphold the Catholic Church's message of welcoming strangers.