After a week of rising tensions within Europe amid a surge in migrant arrivals, with some countries, including France, taking measures against asylum-seekers, Pope Francis in Marseille Saturday challenged “alarmist propaganda” over immigration and advocated for a unified equitable reception policy.
Since Pope Francis in July 2013 first visited the small Italian island of Lampedusa, a primary destination for migrants seeking entry in Europe, the issue of migration has been a cornerstone of his papacy.
Two rescue boats carrying 800 migrants saved from sinking or overcrowded vessels have been forced to roam the international waters of the Mediterranean for more than four days, waiting for permission to dock at a safe port.
