Pope Leo Warns Europe’s Human Traffickers: Repent or Hell
Pope Leo warned human traffickers exploiting migrants to Europe to repent or face eternal damnation during his visit to Spain's Canary Islands.
During the final day of a week-long visit to Spain, the pontiff directed his remarks specifically at criminal networks operating smuggling routes through the Canary Islands, according to Breitbart News.
Pope Leo called on those who organize dangerous migration routes to cease their operations immediately. Stop. Repent, the first American pope declared, warning that perpetrators would have to answer before divine justice for every life lost and every family deceived.
The spiritual leader emphasized the Catholic teaching that those who commit evil must confess their sins and make amends before death or risk being condemned to eternal hell.
The pope’s comments came as he toured the Canary Islands, a Spanish archipelago positioned off Africa’s western coast that serves as a primary gateway for migrants attempting to reach mainland Europe via perilous Atlantic crossings.
This marks not the first time the leader of the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics has addressed mass migration and the criminal enterprises profiting from human desperation, as Breitbart News reports.
Earlier in the week, Leo characterized migration as a tragic drama requiring a coordinated global response. He advocated for what he termed safe and legal immigration pathways and called on nations to provide migrants with respectful welcomes and genuine integration opportunities.
The pontiff further described world peace as a true global imperative during his three-stop tour of Spain, during which he has grown increasingly vocal in his criticism of current global leadership approaches.
The Canary Islands continue to experience sustained pressure from migration flows as thousands attempt the dangerous sea journey from Africa toward European shores each year.
With information from Breitbart News
