Pope Francis, who passed away on April 21, 2025, was widely recognized for his unwavering dedication to the rights of migrants and refugees. A steadfast advocate for human dignity, respect, and compassion, he consistently urged the global community to pay greater attention to their struggles. Since his election in 2013, the 266th Pope had been a vocal and passionate defender of migrant rights, championing their inclusion in society in the spirit of universal solidarity. For many, his passing marks a profound setback for migrants, who have lost one of their most powerful and compassionate advocates.

Migration was a central concern throughout Pope Francis’ pontificate. From the very beginning, he emerged as a powerful voice for migrants, consistently advocating for their rights and dignity. He emphasized the urgent need to provide safe and legal pathways for migration, notably calling for broader access to humanitarian visas. His first papal trip was to Lampedusa, the Italian island known for tragic migrant shipwrecks, an act which powerfully symbolized his commitment. “We have fallen into the globalization of indifference,” he declared during that visit. As reported by rcf.fr, his urgent appeal resounded clearly: “Migrants must be welcomed, protected, supported, and integrated.”

According to the portal of the Catholic Church in France, Pope Francis consistently placed migration at the heart of his papal message, urging greater solidarity with those fleeing war, persecution, and poverty. The site recalls his whirlwind visit to Lesbos, Greece, on April 16, 2016, a key entry point for refugees into Europe, where he condemned the tragic situation, stating: “The Mediterranean and the Aegean have become an insatiable graveyard, a reflection of a sleeping conscience.” Earlier, on September 6, 2015, during the Angelus, he issued a powerful appeal: “May every parish, every religious community, every monastery in Europe welcome a refugee family.”

The International Catholic Migration Commission (ICMC) highlights a powerful passage from Pope Francis’s encyclical Fratelli Tutti, published in October 2020, in which he advocates for universal solidarity. In it, he writes: “The journeys of migrants are also experiences of encounters between cultures and people. For host societies, they represent an opportunity for enrichment and integral human development. When supported in their integration, migrants are a blessing, a source of enrichment and a stimulus for the growth of society.”

On the occasion of the World Day of Migrants and Refugees, Pope Francis reminded the world that every human being is, in some way, a migrant on this earth, called to live in the spirit of universal brotherhood. He urged us to view vulnerable populations not as burdens, but as opportunities for cultural and human enrichment. Echoing his message, the Dicastery for promoting Integral Human Development affirmed: “Let us take the hand of our most fragile brothers and sisters.”Pope Francis also welcomed members of the Italian NGO ResQ People Saving People, which is dedicated to rescuing migrants in the Mediterranean and the Balkans. He expressed deep gratitude for their mission, recognizing their commitment to saving lives. According to Vatican News, the Pope denounced the widespread mistreatment of migrants, stating: “Too many lives are rejected, exploited, abused, and reduced to slavery.”