Pope Leo XIV concluded a week-long visit to Spain on Friday that focused on migrant issues, with significant remarks made during events in the Canary Islands and the mainland. However, his departure from Santa Cruz de Tenerife was delayed by a technical problem involving his Iberia flight. After boarding the plane, an engine issue was detected, prompting the 70-year-old pontiff to disembark. He eventually left Tenerife about three hours later aboard a Falcon air force jet, which had previously transported Spanish King Felipe VI to the island. The remainder of the papal delegation, including journalists and Vatican officials, were scheduled to return on a replacement Iberia flight dispatched from Madrid.
Before heading to the airport, Pope Leo celebrated mass at the port of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, addressing a crowd of roughly 40,000. During his visit, the pope emphasized the need for migrants to integrate into host societies by learning the language, respecting laws, and embracing local customs. Tenerife, one of Spain’s Canary Islands located off northwest Africa, is a key entry point for migrants undertaking perilous sea journeys to Europe.
Speaking at a meeting with organizations assisting migrants, Leo highlighted the ongoing challenges migrants face after arrival, describing a “silent shipwreck” characterized by isolation and insecurity. He urged those involved in organizing dangerous migration routes and human trafficking to cease these activities and seek repentance, drawing applause from attendees.
The pope’s focus on migration resonated locally. Candida Feo, a resident who attended the mass with her children, expressed support for the pope’s attention to migrant issues, noting that migration occurs for significant reasons and merits public concern. Similarly, Aliu Ceesay, a 16-year-old migrant from Gambia who arrived in the Canary Islands about a month prior, spoke of his admiration for the pope’s compassion and willingness to help people regardless of background.
Earlier in his visit, Leo traveled to the nearby island of Gran Canaria, where he laid a wreath in the sea at the port of Arguineguin to honor thousands of migrants who have died attempting to reach the Canaries. Standing on the dock, he said, “Human dignity has no passport,” and blessed a wooden cross made from a boat that had brought migrants to the islands. According to the International Organization for Migration, nearly 1,200 people died or went missing on this route in the previous year, making it one of the deadliest migration corridors worldwide.
The pope’s visit followed his address to Spain’s parliament in Madrid earlier in the week, where he called for “safe and legal pathways” for migrants and stressed the importance of offering them dignified reception and genuine opportunities for integration.