Marseille, 22 September 2023 (dpa/MIA) - Pope Francis is due to hold Mass in front of nearly 60,000 people in Marseille on Saturday, a day after arriving on France's Mediterranean southern coast.

President Emmanuel Macron is also expected to attend the service in the stadium of the country's second-largest city. He will meet the head of the Catholic Church for talks beforehand, during which migration will be a main topic.

The fate of migrants trying to cross the Mediterranean Sea from Africa to Europe is one of the pope's main concerns during his visit.

On the Italian island of Lampedusa alone, thousands of boat migrants landed again this month. It is a dangerous crossing and sinkings and drownings are common occurrences in the region's waters.

"The situation on Lampedusa is cruel, showing a terrible lack of humanity," Francis said on Friday at the start of his visit to France.

The focus of the Pope's visit to Marseille is a youth meeting with participants from 29 countries. Up to 100,000 onlookers are expected along the route that Francis plans to take in the city in the Popemobile on Saturday.

Photo: MIA archive