Pope Francis will go to Lampedusa next Monday, 8 July, to pray for the victims of immigration and to ensure that not only Europe but the whole world will at last open their eyes to this drama
Pope Francis has chosen the southern Italian island of Lampedusa for his first trip outside Rome, to show solidarity with tens of thousands of African refugees who each year brave a perilous journey there in flimsy boats, the Vatican said on Monday.
The Vatican said Francis was „profoundly touched“ by the flood of migrants, and would throw a wreath of flowers into the sea during the visit on July 8 in memory of the many who have drowned off the island.
http://in.reuters.com/article/2013/07/01/pope-lampedusa-idINDEE9600HJ20130701