LAS PALMAS DE GRAN CANARIA, Spain — Pope Leo XIV criticized global indifference toward migrants during a visit to Spain’s Canary Islands on Thursday, appealing to world leaders to treat refugees and migrants more humanely as the archipelago remains a key entry point for those fleeing conflict and poverty.
The pope arrived in the Canary Islands and spoke at the Port of Arguineguín in Gran Canaria, a site previously dubbed the “dock of shame” due to poor conditions for migrants in 2020. He met with migrants, aid organizations and local authorities while highlighting the dangers of sea crossings.
“We cannot grow accustomed to counting the dead,” the pope said, according to reports from the event. “May history not accuse us of turning the pain of those who suffer into a common sight along our shores. Sooner or later, it will be known whether we protected life or whether we yielded to indifference.”
The visit fulfills a plan of his predecessor, Pope Francis, who died without making the trip. Pope Leo XIV is scheduled to meet with about 1,000 migrants on Friday and celebrate Mass. The Canary Islands have seen record migrant arrivals in recent years, with thousands risking the Atlantic route from West Africa.
Officials reported more than 3,000 migrant deaths in 2025 along the route, though exact figures for 2026 were not immediately detailed. The pope threw a wreath into the sea in tribute to those lost and blessed a cross made from wood of migrant boats.
Spanish authorities and migrant support groups welcomed the visit. Juan Carlos Lorenzo, coordinator of the Spanish Commission for Refugees in the Canary Islands, described it as a “significant milestone.”
The pontiff called for conditions of peace, justice and development in countries of origin, protection from traffickers, expanded legal migration pathways and strengthened rescue operations at sea. He emphasized that “dignity has no passport.”
The Canary Islands route has become one of the world’s most dangerous migration paths amid increased departures from Senegal, Mauritania and other African nations. European leaders have faced criticism over handling of arrivals and border policies.
As of Thursday evening, the pope’s visit continued with further engagements planned in Tenerife. No immediate policy changes from European governments were announced in response to his remarks. Church and humanitarian organizations said they would use the visit to advocate for improved support for migrants.
