Following the Angelus prayer in St. Peter’s Square on Sunday, June 21, 2026, Pope Leo XIV marked World Refugee Day and urged nations not to turn away from those seeking protection. Observing the UN’s World Refugee Day on June 20 and the 75th anniversary of the 1951 Refugee Convention, the Pope reflected on the agreement’s role in safeguarding refugee rights after World War II. “I hope that the spirit which inspired the drafting of this important international instrument will continue today to enlighten the consciences of those responsible for nations,” he said.
Pope Leo stressed that indifference cannot be an option in the face of human suffering. “No one can turn away from those seeking protection and safety,” he said. He encouraged societies to welcome people fleeing persecution, violence, and conflict so they may live “in peace and dignity” and look to the future with hope. The Pope also offered prayers for victims of a recent road accident in Brazil. Addressing pilgrims from the country, he assured his prayers for young people who died days earlier in a crash in Ceará. Seven members of a basketball team, students and alumni aged 15 to 22 from schools in Juazeiro do Norte, lost their lives in the tragedy.
Finally, Pope Leo greeted members of the Catholic-Pentecostal International Dialogue, a forum that has brought Catholic and Pentecostal representatives together for more than five decades. Quoting lex orandi, lex credendi — “the law of prayer is the law of belief” — he noted that reflecting on the relationship between prayer and faith is especially significant today. The dialogue aims to foster greater understanding between Christians and encourage cooperation in witness and service.