Pope Francis on Friday excoriated politicians who foment fear of migrants, saying they were sowing violence and racism, and urged them to “practise the virtue of prudence” to help them integrate.
The pope, who has made defence of migrants and refugees a major plank of his papacy, made his comments in a message prepared for the Roman Catholic Church’s World Day of Peace, which is celebrated on Jan. 1 each year.
The message, whose title for 2018 is “Migrants and Refugees: Men and Women in Search of Peace”, is traditionally sent to heads of state and government and international institutions.