STORY: Pope Leo on Sunday (August 2), during his weekly Angelus prayer from the window of the Vatican's Apostolic Palace, appealed for peaceful solutions to the situation in Ceuta, Spain, where according to Spanish authorities, about 50,000 people from Morocco had crossed into the Spanish enclave in North Africa from Thursday (July 30).

The pontiff called the situation "alarming" and said he hoped that "solutions promoting peace, stability, and justice may be found".

The sudden surge of migration at one of the European Union's only land borders with Africa is unprecedented. Spain said that more than 48,000 of the migrants returned to Morocco within 48 hours. At least 67 bodies have been recovered on the Spanish side of the frontier, officials said, after some migrants drowned and others were crushed while trying to climb the breakwater and border fence.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

SHOWS: VATICAN CITY (AUGUST 2, 2026) (VATICAN MEDIA - Access all)

1. CROWD WAITING AT ST PETER'S SQUARE FOR PRAYER TO BEGIN

2. CROWD LOOKING UP TO WINDOW OF APOSTOLIC PALACE HOLDING SUN UMBRELLAS

3. CROWD WAITING FOR PRAYER TO BEGIN

4. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) POPE LEO, SAYING:

"I am following the alarming situation in Ceuta with concern, praying to God, through the help of Our Lord of Africa, that solutions promoting peace, stability, and justice may be found."

5. NUNS IN CROWD CHEERING

6. CROWD CHEERING

7. (SOUNDBITE) (Italian) POPE LEO, SAYING:

"Let us continue to pray for peace, that the wars in the world may cease and that diplomatic solutions to conflicts may be found. Let us remember all the victims of hostilities, especially the weakest and most defenceless: children, the elderly and the sick. May the Lord comfort those who suffer and bless the work of those who bring aid and consolation."

8. VARIOUS OF CROWD CHEERING