MARSEILLE, France: Pope Francis on Saturday urged European governments to welcome migrants instead of viewing them as invaders, striding into in a hugely sensitive political debate again inflamed by mass arrivals on the second day of his visit to France鈥檚 Mediterranean port of Marseille.
The pontiff made the comments hours before he leads a mass in Marseille鈥檚 main stadium 鈥� usually the venue for rugby or football matches 鈥� in a gigantic event due to be attended by French President Emmanuel Macron.
鈥淭hose who risk their lives at sea do not invade, they look for welcome,鈥� Francis said in a speech closing a conference of bishops and young people from around the Mediterranean.
Migration is 鈥渁 reality of our times, a process that involves three continents around the Mediterranean and that must be governed with wise foresight, including a European response,鈥� the pontiff added.
Noting the risk to the lives of migrants if they are not taken to safety, he warned against turning 鈥渢he Mediterranean, the mare nostrum, from the cradle of civilization into the mare mortuum, the graveyard of dignity.鈥�
Francis鈥� 35-minute speech drew a standing ovation from his audience, but his position on migration was unlikely to please Macron and Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin, who were both present and plan tougher measures to control arrivals.
The pope鈥檚 forceful interventions come as the migration debate has been stoked by mass arrivals on the Italian island of Lampedusa last week.
Speaking at a monument to people lost at sea on his arrival in Marseille on Friday, the pontiff had insisted that 鈥減eople who are at risk of drowning when abandoned on the waves must be rescued.鈥�
He thanked aid groups rescuing migrants in danger at sea, condemning efforts to prevent their work as 鈥済estures of hate.鈥�
Tens of thousands of people are expected to watch Francis as he travels through the streets of Marseille later Saturday before celebrating mass for almost 60,000 people in the city鈥檚 famed Velodrome stadium.
Thousands were already starting to pour into the iconic venue which only on Thursday had hosted France鈥檚 clash with Namibia in the Rugby World Cup.
Clutches of black- or white-robed priests and nuns were scattered through the crowds while volunteers tasked with distributing communion wafers during the service were taking up position.
Up to 100,000 are expected to line the Avenue du Prado for his 鈥減opemobile鈥� tour and many roads are decked out with the white-and-yellow colors of the Vatican.
Francky Domingo, a Beninese man who heads a group of undocumented migrants in Marseille, said he hoped the pontiff鈥檚 visit would 鈥済ive us back a little hope鈥� and 鈥渃alm the political tensions.鈥�
Around 40 people have been killed in shootings in Marseille this year, and Macron has promised billions of euros to upgrade city infrastructure in a bid to stop the downward spiral.
Not everyone has welcomed the pope鈥檚 visit.
Some politicians on the left have criticized Macron鈥檚 decision to attend Saturday鈥檚 mass as an infringement of state secularism.
Others on the right have attacked Francis for 鈥渋nterfering鈥� in domestic politics.
The pontiff did nothing Saturday to dodge such allegations, appearing to weigh in on two of Macron鈥檚 projects 鈥� assisted dying and inscribing the right to abortion in the constitution.
Old people risk being 鈥減ushed aside, under the false pretenses of a supposedly dignified and 鈥榮weet鈥� death that is more 鈥榮alty鈥� than the waters of the sea,鈥� Francis warned.
He also spoke of 鈥渦nborn children, rejected in the name of a false right to progress, which is instead a retreat into the selfish needs of the individual.鈥�
Francis鈥� messages may have less resonance given Catholicism鈥檚 long decline in France.
Fewer than a third of people still say they are Catholic, and only a fraction of those regularly attend mass.
The country鈥檚 religious heritage nevertheless still has enormous weight, with Macron showing off progress in restoring the fire-ravaged Notre Dame cathedral in central Paris to Britain鈥檚 King Charles III this week.