Migration and Canary Islands: From a port of shame to a port of hope

“You’ve read my mind, right? I’m thinking about going to the Canary Islands, because there are situations with migrants arriving by sea.”

Returning from his longest Apostolic Journey to Asia and Oceania in September 2024, Pope Francis expressed his desire to visit the Canary Islands, as care for migrants was a central theme of his pontificate. The Diocese of Canarias had even received a letter signed by Pope Francis expressing his intention to visit.

However, the Argentine Pope was never able to complete the journey.

But on June 11—one year and eight months after that flight—Pope Leo XIV will fulfill the long-held desire of his predecessor and travel to the Spanish islands located off the coast of Morocco.

This will mark the first time ever a pontiff will visit the Canary Islands on an official Apostolic Journey. Some have come close: John Paul II and Benedict XVI travelled to Spain a total of eight times, while John Paul II and Francis visited nearby Morocco.

In the last few days ahead of the papal visit, Enélida Hernández Monzón, General Secretary of Pastoral Care and organizer of the Grand Canary Islands part of the Apostolic Journey, explained the emotions leading up to this historic visit.