Pope Francis Remembers the Silent Massacres in the Mediterranean

Pope Francis sent a message to Archbishop Alessandro Damiano in Agrigento, Sicily, on the tenth anniversary of his visit to the island, stating: "These days, we witness a return of tragedies in the Mediterranean, where silent massacres shake us. We are thus talking about the death of innocent people, primarily children, who seek a quieter life away from wars and violence." He described this death as "a painful and powerful cry that cannot leave us indifferent, and a shame for a society that is no longer able to weep and show compassion for others." He spoke of "the passage of 10 years since the visit he wanted to make among the Lampedusa community to express his support and fatherly closeness to those who reached the shores of the island after painful hardships." He emphasized that "the occurrence of such inhumane tragedies must necessarily shake consciences" and questioned, "Do we want to continue making mistakes and aspire to place ourselves in the creator's position? Do we want to continue to dominate in order to protect our own interests and continue to destroy the harmony between us and the creator?"