SANT’ANGELO LODIGIANO, Italy — Pope Leo XIV on Saturday honored St. Frances Xavier Cabrini, the first American saint and patron saint of migrants, praising her work on behalf of immigrants and urging Catholics to follow her example of service to vulnerable people, according to Vatican officials and remarks released by the Holy See.
The visit took place in Sant’Angelo Lodigiano, near Milan, the birthplace of Cabrini, who founded the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and became known for her work among immigrants in the United States and elsewhere. Pope Leo prayed at a basilica dedicated to Cabrini and presided over an evening prayer service during a day-long visit to northern Italy.
In remarks delivered during the visit, the pope highlighted Cabrini’s dedication to people who had left their homelands in search of better lives. “What could be more relevant today than a missionary charism dedicated to serving migrants?” Leo said, according to the Vatican and media reports.
The visit underscored a theme that has featured prominently during Leo’s pontificate. In recent weeks, the pope has repeatedly called for support for migrants and refugees, including during a visit to Spain’s Canary Islands, a major arrival point for migrants attempting to reach Europe. There, he said that “human dignity has no passport” and called for compassion and legal pathways for migration.
Cabrini was born in Italy in 1850 and moved to the United States in the late nineteenth century to assist Italian immigrants. She established schools, hospitals, orphanages and charitable institutions in the United States and other countries. After becoming a naturalized U.S. citizen, she died in Chicago in 1917 and was canonized in 1946, becoming the first American saint, according to church records and historical accounts.
Leo, the first U.S.-born pope, also encouraged young people to study Cabrini’s life and writings. “Get to know St. Frances Cabrini,” he said, urging Catholics to learn from her missionary work and commitment to those in need.
The Vatican said the visit formed part of the pope’s broader program of travel within Italy during the summer. Church officials said Leo would continue a series of pastoral visits in the coming weeks, while maintaining his focus on issues affecting migrants, refugees and disadvantaged communities.
