Pope condemns ‘fanaticism of indifference’ facing migrants arriving in Europe

Pope Francis listens to speeches during a service in Marseille (Alessandra Tarantino/AP)

Pope Francis has criticised the “fanaticism of indifference” that greets migrants seeking a better life as he arrived in Marseille after a new influx of refugees from Africa sparked a backlash from some of Europe’s increasingly anti-migrant leaders.

At the start of a brief visit to the Mediterranean port, Francis presided over a silent moment of prayer at a memorial dedicated to sailors and migrants lost at sea, surrounded by Marseille’s faith leaders and migrant rescue organisations.