Pope Leo XIV visits southern Italy's 'Land of Fires'

Added: 2026-05-25

[00:00:00]Pope Leo I 14th arrived in the southern Italian town of Achera on Saturday to offer comfort to a region scarred by decades of environmental crime. Arriving on a pastoral visit to the notorious Terra de Fouchi or land of fires, the Pontiff met relatives of those who lost their lives to toxic waste pollution.

[00:00:19]>> Inside Achera Cathedral, the Pope delivered a searing denunciation of the criminal activity and the systemic indifference that allowed illegal dumping to flourish.

[00:00:30]He urged society to break the entire chain of corruption and warned against the dangers of resignation, calling for a profound cultural shift. Moving outside to address thousands of faithful and 90 regional mayors gathered in Piaza Kalipari, the pope contrasted the region's ancient fertility with its current ecological devastation. He concluded his address with a prayer for civic redemption, calling on local leaders to transform the destructive blazes of toxic waste into a renewal of care and love for the land.