It is well known that Vatican diplomacy is the most seasoned in the world, and it is no coincidence that Pope Leo XIV chose July 4, the American national holiday and the massive celebrations organized by Donald Trump to mark the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States, to spend his day on the island of Lampedusa; to celebrate Mass among migrants, and to lay a wreath on the grave of an African child who died at the age of two with his family who were trying to cross the sea to Europe.

Composite image of Vatican Pope Leo XIV and US President Donald Trump (AP)

Before leaving Rome on Saturday morning, the pope had sent a video message to the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia, which awarded him the Liberty Medal, saying: 'Glory to those brave men and women who dreamed of freedom and a better life for themselves and their children.'

These statements by the first American pope in history come days after the US Supreme Court issued a ruling curbing Trump's attempt to abolish birthright citizenship for those born on US soil, which is one of the fundamental pillars of US history.

Robert Francis Prevost (the pope's birth name, born September 14, 1955), recalled a passage from the US Declaration of Independence: 'All men and women are created equal, endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.' He added: 'That noble vision made the United States synonymous with freedom, opening its doors to successive waves of immigrants and allowing them and their children to play a vital role in building the nation's future.'

The pope blessed a commemorative plaque in honor of his predecessor Pope Francis at a main migrant arrival point in the Mediterranean (DPA)

Leo XIV, born in Chicago to immigrant parents, had distanced himself from Donald Trump by rejecting a White House invitation to visit the United States this year for the 250th anniversary of American independence, and decided to spend that day on the island that has become a symbol of the tragedy of migrants trying to cross the Mediterranean to Europe.

In Lampedusa, the pope said: 'The moral greatness of nations is measured, above all, by their ability to support, protect, and value the life of every one of their children, especially the weak and those whose worth as human beings is doubted.'

The pope laid a wreath at a burial site containing graves of unidentified migrants and visited the 'Gateway to Europe' memorial dedicated to the victims (Reuters).

He added: 'True freedom is much deeper than acting according to our own will; it is based on our ability to know the truth and commit to goodness, no matter how high the cost.'

Without naming the US president, he said: 'Americans know well that the path to building a society that embodies the sublime values of freedom and justice for all has never been easy, and this is a struggle passed from generation to generation, in the hope that the United States will always remain faithful to the dream that earned it the title of land of the free and home of the brave.' Pope Leo XIV also recalled religious freedom, which has always been a distinctive feature of American society, and expressed his hope that this tradition would remain alive and fruitful for generations to come.

Delivers his homily during his visit to the Italian island (DPA)

During his visit to the Italian island in the Mediterranean, the pope blessed a commemorative plaque in honor of his predecessor Pope Francis, whose name will henceforth be given to a main migrant arrival point in the Mediterranean. The point, previously known as 'Molo Favarolo,' will now be called 'Molo Papa Francesco.' The step aims to commemorate the late pope's commitment to refugees.

The pope denounced measures aimed at suppressing illegal immigration. He described the US administration's treatment of migrants as 'inhumane.' He urged migrants to integrate by learning the language of the host country, respecting its laws, and becoming familiar with its customs and traditions.

The pope urged Europe to address the migration problem 'comprehensively by integrating immediate relief efforts into a long-term strategic plan capable of welcoming, protecting, supporting, and integrating migrants.' He also appealed to European leaders to help improve conditions in migrants' home countries so that fewer people feel compelled to leave.

Spends his day on the island of Lampedusa and celebrates Mass there (DPA)

Filippo Ungaro, spokesman for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, told Agence France-Presse that 'the presence of Pope Leo XIV sends a clear message at a time when the global political debate on migration is increasingly focused on borders and deterrence policies, rather than protection and shared responsibility.'

The island of Lampedusa is the second European destination for migration. The Central Mediterranean route from North Africa is the deadliest migration path in the world, according to the International Organization for Migration.

Lampedusa lies between Sicily and Tunisia, 145 kilometers from the Tunisian coast, and the small island, with a population of about 6,000, has long been a major hub for migrants traveling from Africa to Europe. It has become one of the most prominent symbols of Europe's migration crisis.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican (Vatican)

In 2025, about 1,330 people died or went missing while attempting to cross this route, according to organization reports. The route is monitored by a few ships from humanitarian organizations, which accuse the European Union of failing to take action to prevent shipwrecks.

The pope said in his homily on the island: 'Europe is capable (...) of addressing the crisis in an integrated manner, by incorporating initial relief operations into a long-term strategic plan, and capable of welcoming, protecting, and integrating migrants, while at the same time working on development so that no one is forced to migrate.'

He denounced 'indifference to the common good, corruption in migrants' home countries, a global economic system that breeds poverty and exclusion, fear that fuels prejudice and contempt (...) and the criminal calculations of those who profit from the tragedy of others.'

Pope Leo XIV, head of the Catholic Church (Reuters)

Before his homily, the pope laid a wreath at a burial site containing graves of unidentified migrants, and visited the 'Gateway to Europe' memorial dedicated to the victims, where he stood alone on a rock facing the sea, his cloak flapping in the wind.

The pope has made defending migrants a central theme of his papacy, focusing on it repeatedly, as he did during his visit to the Spanish Canary Islands last month, thanking those who lend a helping hand to the needy who leave their countries, and denouncing mass deportations in his home country, the United States.