This September 22, Pope Francis arrived in the city of Marseille, southern France, to close the third edition of the Mediterranean Meetings, a religious forum whose main theme is the migratory challenge. The two-day visit is expected to end with a massive mass, which President Emmanuel Macron is scheduled to attend. A meeting in the midst of the great challenges that Europe faces in responding jointly to the migration crisis of recent months.
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Pope Francis set foot on French soil with a clear purpose: to seek solutions to respond to the deadliest migratory route in the world according to UNHCR: the Mediterranean.
Although it is not a state visit to France, Francisco was received by the prime minister, Élisabeth Borne; the Minister of the Interior, Gérald Darmanin; members of the Church and leaders of other religions.
The pontiff is expected to meet with a representation of migrants who arrived in France from Italy, a fact that makes sense after the island of Lampedusa – which barely exceeds 6,000 inhabitants – received some 10,000 migrants in just three days and challenged the European response.
Throughout his pontificate, which has now completed a decade, the Pope has not been indifferent to the immigration issue, he has condemned the speeches of rejection by society and some politicians, as well as he has questioned the policies of border closures. .
Marseille is a cosmopolitan city on the French Riviera that is home to a wide variety of communities and religions due to its proximity to North Africa.
Francis’ visit is expected to end on Saturday with a mass before some 60,000 spectators and with the presence of President Emmanuel Macron, with whom he has a meeting scheduled.
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