Pope Leo concludes Spain trip in Tenerife after highlighting migrant crisis in Canary Islands

The Canary Islands leg of the trip became the defining theme of the pontiff’s first visit to Spain, placing the spotlight on one of Europe’s most significant migration routes and the humanitarian challenges faced by thousands attempting the perilous Atlantic crossing from Africa. ALSO READ: Pope blesses Sagrada Familia’s Tower of Jesus after visits to prison and Montserrat.

Speaking in Tenerife during a meeting with organisations that assist migrants, Leo described integration as a ‘reciprocal journey’ and encouraged newcomers to learn the language of their host country, ‘to respect its laws, to get to know its customs, to participate in communal life’.

At the same time, he warned that many migrants face what he called a ‘silent shipwreck’ after reaching Europe.

‘They are left alone in a city, without a voice, without ties, work or a sense of security, and exposed to those who take advantage of vulnerability,’ he said.

The pope also issued a direct appeal to human traffickers, urging ‘those who organise death routes, traffic in human beings’ to ‘stop and repent’, drawing applause from the crowd. ALSO READ: Mauritania and Spain pledge cooperation on migration and to combat people smuggling.

Earlier, Leo visited Las Raíces, a migrant reception centre housed in a former military barracks on Tenerife that was once heavily criticised because of overcrowding. Addressing hundreds of migrants there, he stressed that migration is a shared human experience.

‘In a sense, all of us are migrants, for we are all pilgrims on our way to our heavenly homeland,’ he said.

The pope was later expected to celebrate an open-air Mass in the port city of Santa Cruz de Tenerife before departing for Rome. ALSO READ: Pope Leo draws 1.2 million to Madrid Mass, calling for unity, faith and compassion.

Gran Canaria visit – Thursday

His final day followed a series of highly symbolic events on neighbouring Gran Canaria on Thursday, where he paid tribute to the thousands of migrants who have died trying to reach the Canary Islands. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez also took part in the key events.

At the Port of Arguineguín, Leo cast a wreath into the sea and blessed a faded blue wooden cross made from a migrant boat. The harbour became internationally known during the Coronavirus pandemic when around 1,000 migrants were stranded there in what critics described as deplorable conditions, earning it the nickname the ‘Dock of Shame’.

Addressing thousands gathered near a memorial to migrants lost at sea, the pope condemned what he described as growing indifference towards the suffering of migrants and refugees.

‘Human dignity has no passport,’ he said. ‘We cannot grow accustomed to counting the dead.’

He warned that Europe ‘cannot claim to uphold human dignity while growing accustomed to the Mediterranean and the Atlantic becoming unmarked graves’.

In what he described as an ‘appeal to the conscience’ of political leaders in Europe and beyond, Leo said: ‘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 pope also called for ‘legal and safe pathways’ for migration, stronger international cooperation against human trafficking networks and increased resources for rescuing people in distress at sea.

‘It is not enough to manage arrivals, distribute statistics, reinforce borders or lament deaths after they have occurred,’ he said, arguing that poverty, conflict and corruption in migrants’ home countries must also be addressed.

During his visit to Arguineguín, Leo met aid organisations, volunteers and rescue workers operating on the migration route. He listened to a rescue boat captain who said he and his colleagues had saved around 20,000 migrants over the past 18 years.

The pontiff also heard testimony from a Nigerian woman who described being trafficked and sexually abused while trying to reach Europe in search of a better life.

‘I lived in conditions I would not wish on anyone,’ she said.

Leo responded by telling her she was a blessing from God and deserved happiness.

Addressing migrants directly, he added: ‘Dear migrants, before saying anything else to you, I want to bow before your dignity. You are not just numbers or files. You are people who have left behind families and homes. You have dreams that no one has the right to despise.’

Canary Islands – Migration

The Canary Islands became the centrepiece of the pope’s Spanish visit after he earlier travelled to Madrid and Barcelona, where he repeatedly highlighted migration as one of the defining moral challenges facing the international community. ALSO READ: Pope Leo begins landmark Spain tour amid political tensions and migration debate.

Speaking in Madrid at the start of the week, Leo warned that insufficient support for migrants was challenging ‘the ethical foundation of the international order’. ALSO READ: Pope Leo calls for respect for migrants, end to rearmament in historic speech to Spanish parliament.

His decision to spend the final two days of the tour in the Canaries marked the first papal visit to the archipelago and drew international attention to a region that has experienced a dramatic increase in migrant arrivals over the past decade. ALSO READ: ‘We owe a lot to them’ – Sánchez hails benefits of ‘safe, orderly, regular migration’.

The seven Atlantic islands, located more than 1,000 kilometres from mainland Spain, received a record 46,843 irregular migrants in 2024, compared with fewer than 1,000 in 2015.

One of the smallest islands, El Hierro, received an influx last year equivalent to roughly twice its population of around 11,000 people.

Although arrivals fell by about 60% in 2025 to 17,788 after Spain reached agreements with countries including Mauritania aimed at tightening migration controls, the Atlantic route remains one of the world’s deadliest. ALSO READ: Irregular migration to Spain dropped by over 40% in 2025.

According to the International Organisation for Migration, nearly 1,200 people died or disappeared attempting the crossing in 2024. The NGO Caminando Fronteras (Walking Borders) estimates that more than 3,000 people died trying to reach the islands in 2025 alone.

Many migrants continue to depart from countries such as Gambia, Guinea-Bissau and Mauritania in overcrowded boats, embarking on journeys that can last days or even weeks. ALSO READ: PM Sánchez defends Spain’s immigration model, urging Europe to take note.

The pope’s visit also unfolded against a broader political debate over migration across Europe, where many governments have hardened their policies amid pressure from right-wing and far-right parties. ALSO READ: Spain stands alone as EU backs tougher deportation rules and overseas return centres.

Spain has largely maintained a more open approach, introducing a programme aimed at granting residency to more than half a million undocumented migrants. However, the policy has faced criticism from opponents and authorities continue to struggle with delays in processing applications and transferring migrants from the islands to mainland Spain. ALSO READ: Spain to commence mass regularisation of undocumented migrants.

Adults often wait months or years for their cases to be resolved, while many unaccompanied minors remain in the Canary Islands, receiving education and support until they reach adulthood.

Leo’s focus on migration is expected to remain a defining feature of his papacy. On 4 July he is due to visit the Italian island of Lampedusa, another major gateway for migrants entering Europe, reinforcing his message that the plight of migrants should remain at the forefront of international attention. ALSO READ: Sexual abuse survivors protest exclusion from Pope Leo meeting in Madrid.