Pope Francis Honors ‘World Day of Migrants and Refugees’ in One of First Social Media Posts Since Health Scare Started
Pope Francis waves as he arrives for his weekly general audience in the Paul VI Hall, at the Vatican, Wednesday, Feb. 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
Amid a health scare that nearly cost him his life, Pope Francis posted a tweet to celebrate a day honoring migrants. It was met with outrage among his right-leaning supporters.
Pope Francis was first admitted to the hospital Feb. 14 due to respiratory complications. In the days after, his condition gradually deteriorated and there was fear that situation was dire. This past weekend, things started to improve with Sunday marking a major milestone in his recovery as he was able to breathe without the assistance of a ventilation device. By Monday, however, he was once again receiving “non-invasive mechanical ventilation,” CNN reported, meaning he was receiving supplemental oxygen through a mask.
His official X/Twitter account posted a tweet thanking his supporters for their well wishes.
Monday morning, the Pope’s account made an announcement about the World Day of Migrants and Refugees.
“I have chosen ‘Migrants: Missionaries of Hope’ as the theme for the 111th World Day of Migrants and Refugees,” the Pope wrote. “Many migrants and refugees bear witness to hope through their trust in God. The #WDMR2025 will take place in October during the #Jubilee.”
A significant portion of the responses to that tweet — many of which used anti-immigration rhetoric — criticized the Pope for his decision to honor migrants and refugees.
For the Pope, this stance is far from new. Just a few days before he was taken to the hospital, he went after Vice President JD Vance and called on U.S. bishops to oppose the mass deportations announced under the administration of President Donald Trump.
