Pope Leo XIV visits Italy's 'Land of Fires,' condemns companies profiting from toxic waste dumping

May 23, 2026

Pope Leo XIV visited Italy's 'Land of Fires' near Naples, condemning companies profiting from toxic waste dumping by the Camorra mafia. He met with families of young people who have died from high rates of cancer in the region. The visit highlights a 2025 European Court ruling that found Italian authorities knew of the pollution since 1988 but failed to act, giving them two years to create a public health database.

Pope Leo XIV Acerra visit

▪Around 15,000 people gathered in Piazza Calipari in Acerra to welcome Pope Leo XIV.
▪Pope Leo XIV visited Acerra, Italy, in the "Land of Fires" region on May 23, 2026.
▪The papal visit occurred on the eve of the 11th anniversary of Pope Francis' environmental encyclical, "Laudato Si".
▪Pope Leo XIV condemned companies seeking "dizzying" profits from practices that pollute the environment.

Camorra toxic waste dumping

▪Italian officials have identified dozens of other human-caused contamination sites across the country, including in Marghera and Vicenza.
▪A local bishop reported that tons of toxic waste were illegally dumped near Caserta a day before the Pope's visit.
▪The "Land of Fires" is an area near Naples devastated by decades of illegal dumping of toxic waste linked to the Camorra crime syndicate.

Cancer deaths from pollution

▪The toxic waste dumping has led to increased rates of cancer and other ailments in a region of 90 municipalities with 2.9 million people.
▪The Bishop of Acerra estimated that 150 young people have died from pollution in the city of Acerra over the past three decades.
▪The estimate of 150 deaths in Acerra does not include adults or victims from other municipalities in the region.

European Court ruling Italy

▪In 2025, the European Court of Human Rights ruled that Italian authorities had failed to protect residents from the effects of waste dumping.
▪The European Court of Human Rights gave Italy two years to create a database of toxic waste sites and inform the public of health risks.
▪The court found that Italian authorities had known about the toxic pollution since at least 1988 but failed to take necessary action.

Victim families appeal

▪The mayor of Acerra, Tito d'Errico, said the population is engaged in "civic resistance and moral redemption" against the pollution.
▪During his visit, Pope Leo XIV met with families who lost children and young people to cancer linked to the pollution.
▪Angelo Venturato, whose daughter died of cancer at 25, appealed for the Pope's help to "heal this land of fires" for future generations.