Pope Francis condemned the “fanaticism of indifference” toward the plight of migrants as he arrived in Marseille, France, on September 22.
Migration was the main topic on the agenda as the Pope began his two-day visit to Marseille: the 44th foreign trip of his pontificate. Debate on the topic has been sharpened this week, as a burst of over 7,000 migrants—more than the local population—overwhelmed the Italian island of Lampedusa.
Pope Francis said that it is “a duty of humanity” for Europeans to save the thousands of migrants from northern African who are crossing the Mediterranean in flimsy crafts. He said that “this beautiful sea has become a huge cemetery.”