Pope Francis: Let us welcome the refugees who knock at our door

Pope Francis recalled that tomorrow, June 20, World Refugee Day is celebrated. For this reason, he stated that we must welcome “those who knock on our doors.”

At the end of the General Audience This Wednesday the 19th, during his greeting to the pilgrims who were listening to him from St. Peter’s Square, the Pontiff made reference to this day promoted by the United Nations.

Pope Francis encouraged this occasion “to be an opportunity to direct an attentive and fraternal gaze to all those who are forced to flee their homes in search of peace and security.”

“We are all called to welcome, promote, accompany and integrate those who knock on our doors,” he continued.

Finally, he assured his prayers “that States make efforts to guarantee humane conditions for refugees and to facilitate integration processes.”

There are numerous occasions on which the Holy Father has denounced the situation of refugees and urged their reception.

It should be remembered that he ordered a sculpture to be placed in St. Peter’s Square to show the suffering of those who are forced to leave their home.

He continually makes calls to integrate migrants, even going so far as to affirm that whoever welcomes a migrant “also welcome Christ” .

“Jesus is present among refugees and internally displaced people, forced, as in the time of Herod, to flee to save themselves,” he pointed on one occasion.

What is the origin of World Refugee Day?

On December 4, 2000, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), under resolution 55/76requested that World Refugee Day be celebrated starting in 2001.

This request was approved on February 12, 2001 by the General Assembly. Since then, every June 20, people are made aware of the situation of refugees, drawing media and government attention to encourage the creation of specific public policies.