VALLETTA (Reuters) – Pope Francis, struggling with leg pain, on Sunday mentioned international locations ought to all the time assist these attempting to outlive “amidst the waves of the ocean” as he wrapped up a visit to one of many Mediterranean international locations on the coronary heart of Europe’s migration debate.
At the beginning of the final day of his journey, Francis visited the grotto within the city of Rabat, the place in keeping with custom, St. Paul lived for 2 months when he was amongst 75 individuals shipwrecked on their strategy to Rome within the yr 60 AD. The Bible says they obtained uncommon kindness.
“No one knew their names, their fatherland or their social standing; they knew just one factor: that these had been individuals in want of assist,” the pope mentioned in a prayer within the grotto.
The 85-year-old pontiff is affected by a flare-up of leg pain and had difficultly strolling within the small grotto. He has been sitting in ceremonies greater than typical. At a Mass for about 20,000 individuals afterwards, he principally sat whereas Valletta Archbishop Charles Scicluna led a lot of the liturgy.
Francis had to make use of a freight raise to board his flight in Rome and disembark on arrival in Valletta on Saturday, and on the finish of Sunday’s Mass, he skipped the standard exit procession with all of the bishops.
Malta, one of many extra vital routes utilized by migrants who cross from Libya to Europe, was a pure venue for the pope to repeat his attraction for the security of migrants.
“Help us to recognise from afar these in want, struggling amidst the waves of the ocean, dashed in opposition to the reefs of unknown shores,” he prayed on the grotto.
The authorities of Prime Minister Robert Abela insists that the island, by far Europe’s most densely populated nation, is “full up”, refusing to permit the disembarkation of migrants aside from these rescued inside its personal rescue zone.
Malta says any rescued migrants have to be taken to the closest harbour.
On Friday, German NGO ship Sea Eye IV was off Maltese territorial waters looking for to disembark 106 migrants rescued from Libyan waters and was denied entry.
Human rights organisations have criticised the island for its involvement in “pushbacks” the place migrants rescued in coordination with Malta are taken again to Libya. The organizations say this breaks worldwide legislation since Libya just isn’t a secure nation.
Speaking to authorities officers on Saturday, Francis denounced “sordid agreements with criminals who enslave different human beings”. He has previously in contrast circumstances in centres holding migrants in Libya to Nazi and Soviet camps.
Malta argues that Europe ought to have an efficient “burden sharing” mechanism, saying that migrants wish to go to mainland Europe. Francis additionally has referred to as a number of instances for shared accountability for migrants amongst European international locations.
(Additional reporting by Chris Scicluna; Editing by Kirsten Donovan)
