Pope Leo XIV has condemned companies making “dizzying” profits through activities that damage the environment, during a visit to one of Italy’s worst-affected toxic waste regions.
Speaking on Saturday in Acerra, near Naples in southern Italy, the pontiff urged people to reject “practices that pollute the land, water, air, and social coexistence”.
The visit took him to the so-called “Land of Fires”, an area long associated with illegal dumping and burning of toxic waste allegedly linked to organised crime groups, including the Camorra mafia. Residents in the region have for years complained of unusually high cancer rates and other health problems.
During the four-hour trip, Pope Leo met families affected by pollution-related illnesses and said he had come to “gather the tears” of people who had lost loved ones. He also criticised authorities and organisations that allowed environmental abuses to continue unchecked for decades.
Crowds waving Vatican flags welcomed the pope as he travelled through Acerra in the popemobile. Some residents held photographs of relatives who died from illnesses they believe were linked to toxic exposure.
The remarks follow a ruling by the European Court of Human Rights, which found Italian authorities failed to adequately protect residents from illegal waste dumping dating back to at least 1988. The Italian government later created a task force aimed at supporting victims and improving environmental clean-up efforts.
Pope Leo is expected to release his first major papal document on Monday, focusing on artificial intelligence, warfare, and workers’ rights.
