פּאָפּע ראנגלענישן מיט פוס ווייטיק אין מאַלטאַ, דעפענדס מייגראַנץ

Pope Francis was suffering from leg pain and said that countries should always support those who are trying to survive "amidst waves of the ocean" during his trip to Malta. Malta is the centre of Europe's migration debate.

Francis visited the grotto of Rabat at the beginning of the final day of his journey to the Mediterranean island. Tradition says that St. Paul lived there for 2 months, after being among 75 shipwrecked while on his way to Rome in 60 AD. According to the Bible, they were shown unusual kindness.

"No one knew their names, places of birth, or social status. They knew only one thing: they were people in desperate need of help," said the pope in a prayer at the grotto.

The pontiff, 85 years old, is experiencing leg pains and has difficulty walking in the small grotto. He sat mostly during Mass for around 20,000 people, while Valletta Archbishop Charles Scicluna led most of the liturgy.

Francis used a lift to board his flight from Rome to Valletta, where he disembarked on Saturday. At the conclusion of Sunday's Mass, Francis skipped the traditional exit procession with all the bishops.

Migrants who travel from Libya to Europe use Malta as their main route.

"Help us recognize from afar those who are in need, struggling against the reefs and unknown shores," said the pope in prayer at the grotto.

אַדווערטייזמאַנט

Robert Abela's government insists that the island is Europe's most densely populated and refuses to allow migrants to disembark.

Francis made his last stop at a centre for migrants, also known as a peace lab. He heard Daniel, a Nigerian tell Francis about his many attempts to reach Europe by un-seaworthy vessels and how he was held in Libya, Tunisia, and Malta.

"Sometimes, I cried!" Sometimes, I wished that I had died. Why were men like us treating me like a criminal and not as brothers? Daniel said.

Francis explained to them that the humanitarian crisis resulting from migration was a "shipwreck civilisation" which threatened not only migrants, but everyone. He said that sometimes, mistreatment of migrants can occur "with the complicity and authority."

Friday's entry was denied to the German NGO Sea Eye IV, which was trying to disembark 106 migrants from Libyan waters.

Human rights organizations have criticized the island for its participation in pushbacks, where migrants who were rescued in coordination to Malta are returned to Libya. These organizations claim that this is against international law as Libya is not considered a safe country.

Francis spoke out against "sordid deals with criminals who enslave others" to Maltese officials on Saturday. In the past, he has compared conditions at Libyan refugee camps to those in Soviet and Nazi camps.

Malta believes that Europe needs a "burden sharing" system. Francis has also called for the sharing of responsibility among European countries for migrants.

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