Pope Francis underlined on Sunday June 13 that the Mediterranean Sea had become the “
biggest cemetery in Europe
”, remembering the migrants who died trying to reach the continent.
In his Angelus prayer, he referred to a ceremony held in Sicily to pay tribute to an April 2015 shipwreck in which some 800 migrants drowned when their ship capsized.
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“
This symbol of so many tragedies in the Mediterranean Sea will continue to question the conscience of everyone and encourage the emergence of a more united humanity, which will break down the wall of indifference,
” he said.
“
Let’s think about this: the Mediterranean has become the largest cemetery in Europe
”.
Thousands of people dreaming of a better life in Europe leave North Africa every year, often in overcrowded and shabby boats piloted by unscrupulous smugglers.
More than a dozen boats arrived on the small Italian island of Lampedusa on Saturday, where more than 1,200 migrants are being held in emergency facilities, according to the Ansa news agency.
The central Mediterranean is one of the deadliest migratory routes on the planet. It is crisscrossed by a few humanitarian ships which complain about the lack of support from the European authorities. More than 500 people have died attempting the crossing between Italy and Malta between January and mid-May this year, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), attached to the UN.