During his visit to Greece, Pope Francis, the leader of the Catholic Church, went to the immigration center on the island of Lesbos and made a call to prioritize protecting people, not borders. The Pope is also expected to take as many as 50 immigrants to Italy.
Since taking office in 2013, the Pope has focused on actions and discourses aimed at drawing the world’s attention to the experiences of immigrants, and with his visit to Lesbos and his speech there, he gave messages to Europe and the world on this issue.
Addressing approximately 200 immigrants at the meeting, which was also attended by Greek President Katerina Sakellaropulu, the Pope said, “I came here to say that I am with you.”
The Pope, who visited Lesbos in 2016, brought a group of Syrian refugees from the camps here to Rome with him. On his return to the island today, the Pope said, “It has been 5 years since my visit here. After all this time, we see that very little has changed in the immigration issue.”
Stating that Greece, like many other countries, is still “under pressure” on immigration, the Pope criticized, “We regret to admit that there are still those in Europe who insist on approaching this issue as a business that does not concern them.”
The Pope emphasized that immigrants were condemned to “inhumane” conditions and, pointing to Europe, called for “the dignity of each of these people should be prioritized above all else on this continent that does not fail to promote human rights in the world.”
‘Boundaries lose their importance’
Although he did not name any country, the Pope, who is understood to be referring to the migrant dramas experienced at the borders in Europe, especially in recent months, said, quoting Nobel Peace Prize winner Elie Wiesel, “When human life is in danger, when human dignity is in danger, national borders lose their importance.”
“As history has taught, introversion and nationalism have disastrous results,” the Pope warned.
Commemorating the immigrants who lost their lives while trying to reach Europe by crossing the Mediterranean, the Pope continued by saying, “Let’s not run away from the images of small bodies lying dead on the beaches.”
“The Mediterranean, which united different peoples and distant lands for thousands of years, is today turning into a cold graveyard without tombstones. This water basin, the cradle of many civilizations, now looks like a mirror of death. The ‘Mare nostrum (our sea) is transformed into a gloomy ‘mare mortuum’ (dead). Let’s not let it turn into a sea.”
Comparing the migrant tragedy in the Mediterranean to the sinking of civilization in the sea, the Pope said, “Please, let’s stop this civilization sinking!” he called.
Saying that he begged people, “every person” as well as God, the Pope said, “Let us overcome the paralysis caused by fear, the indifference that kills.”
Political propaganda criticism
Criticizing that in many societies immigrants are used for political propaganda, to “drag public opinion” through fear, the Pope said:
“And why is there no talk of exploitation of the poor, of forgotten or often generously financed wars, of economic deals made at the expense of people’s lives, of secret arms trade maneuvers? The causes must be fought, not the poor people who pay the price!”
Pope Francis, who will return to the Vatican by ending his visit to Cyprus and Greece, which he started on December 2, is expected to take about 50 immigrants to Italy under the sponsorship of the Vatican.
During his visit to Mytilene in 2016, the Pope brought 12 Muslim immigrants from 3 families to Rome with him. This time, it is planned to bring the immigrants to the territory of Italy with a separate organization.