Pope visits Italy’s ‘Land of Fires’
Pope Leo XIV is set to visit Acerra, Italy, known as the 'Land of Fires', on May 23. This area has suffered from illegal waste dumping and burning, leading to severe environmental and health issues for its residents. The Pope's visit coincides with the anniversary of a significant climate manifesto by his predecessor, Pope Francis, and aims to address the injustices faced by the community.
- ▪Pope Leo XIV will visit Acerra, a city in the Campania region of Italy, on May 23.
- ▪The area has been plagued by illegal dumping and burning of toxic waste for decades, leading to high cancer rates among residents.
- ▪In 2025, Europe's top rights court ruled that Italy failed to protect residents from environmental harm.
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Pope visits Italy’s ‘Land of Fires’Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inboxPope Leo will travel to Acerra, where hazardous waste – often from the wealthy north – has long been set alight or buried.PHOTO: EPAPublished May 23, 2026, 02:10 PMUpdated May 23, 2026, 02:10 PMVATICAN CITY - Pope Leo XIV will visit Italy’s “Land of Fires” on May 23, where for decades the mafia has illegally dumped and burned toxic rubbish, poisoning both people and their land.The head of the Roman Catholic Church will travel to Acerra, a city near Naples in the southern Italian region of Campania, where hazardous waste – often from the wealthy north – has long been set alight or buried.For decades, the soil, groundwater and air have been contaminated by heavy metals, dioxins and asbestos.Cancer…
Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at Straits Times — World.