On the day the United States celebrates its 250th anniversary as a nation, the first American pope in history chose to travel to the Italian island in the Mediterranean to celebrate Mass and pray at a cemetery for migrants who lost their lives on the way to Europe.
The Pope has repeatedly criticized President Donald Trump, including for his hard line on immigration in the United States.
The fact that the Pope went to Lampedusa on Independence Day is seen as a powerful message to the United States and Europe about the Christian obligation to preserve the dignity of every person, especially migrants and the most vulnerable.
This is a place where actions speak louder than words. But for actions to be human, they need a heart, the Pope said on the island.
