Pope Francis on Sunday called on European countries to share equally the burden of helping refugees who have been displaced by war and other “inhumane” situations.
The pontiff said a “unanimous response” from European countries is needed to “share the burden fairly.”
“The plight of refugees fleeing wars and other inhuman situations has always been present in my prayer, and yours,” said Pope Francis after his Sunday address in Saint Peter’s Square.
He praised Greece for offering the displaced people “generous assistance,” but added that the situation “requires the cooperation of all nations.”
The pope said “a unified response can be effective.”
“For this we need to focus firmly and unreservedly on the negotiations,” he said, referring to recent debates on the “equitable” relocation of migrants throughout European Union countries.
Last year, the pontiff urged Catholic institutions in Europe to take in one refugee family, calling the request “a concrete gesture in preparation for the Holy Year of Mercy.”
More than a million migrants arrived in Europe last year to seek safe refuge.
Germany received the highest number of migrants in 2015 with more than 476,000. Hungary received over 177,130 applications in December.
Last month, Pope Francis said Europe should find “the right balance between its twofold moral responsibility to protect the rights of its citizens and to ensure assistance and acceptance to migrants.”
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