New Pope Tells Migrants He Wants to ‘Bow Before Your Dignity’ During Spain Visit

Faith Facts

• Pope Leo XIV invoked Matthew 25 while addressing migrants during his tour of Spain this week
• The pontiff told migrants he wants to ‘bow before your dignity’ in remarks applying biblical passages to Europe’s immigration crisis
• The statements reflect the Vatican’s continued engagement with migration policy through a religious framework

During his apostolic visit to Spain this week, Pope Leo XIV addressed the ongoing immigration crisis in Europe by turning to Scripture, specifically citing Matthew 25:41-45 in his remarks to migrants.

The passage from Matthew records Jesus saying: “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.'”

“Dear migrants, before saying anything else to you, I want to bow before your dignity. You are not just numbers or files,” Pope Leo XIV said in a meeting with organizations working with migrants at the Port of Arguineguína in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain.

In his address the… pic.twitter.com/HQcw12quvl

— Vatican News (@VaticanNews) June 11, 2026

In his address, the pope emphasized the dignity inherent in every human person, a central tenet of Catholic social teaching rooted in the belief that all people are created in the image of God.

“I want to bow before your dignity,” Pope Leo XIV told the migrants gathered before him.

The pontiff’s application of this biblical passage to the migration crisis represents the Vatican’s theological approach to a complex policy issue that has sparked significant debate across Europe and the United States. Conservative Christians have long wrestled with how to balance biblical commands to welcome the stranger with legitimate concerns about border security, rule of law, and national sovereignty.

Many faithful believers recognize the genuine compassion called for in Scripture while also acknowledging that governments have a God-given responsibility to protect their citizens and maintain ordered borders. The tension between mercy and justice, between individual dignity and collective security, remains a challenging question for Christians seeking to apply biblical principles to modern policy dilemmas.

The Spain visit continues Pope Leo XIV’s early papal ministry, which has included engagement on social issues facing the global Church. As Europe continues to grapple with waves of migration from Africa, the Middle East, and other regions, religious leaders across denominations are seeking to articulate responses grounded in their faith traditions.

The Matthew 25 passage cited by the pope has long been central to Christian discussions of social responsibility, though believers of different theological persuasions have debated its application to government policy versus individual Christian charity.

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