This year, rather than being celebrated on September 28 as usual, the World Day will coincide with the Jubilee of Migrants and of Missions, which takes place on October 4 and 5. The Holy Father has chosen the theme 'Migrants, missionaries of hope'.
4 -5 October 2025
The Church has been celebrating the World Day of Migrants and Refugees (WDMR) since 1914. It is always an occasion to express concern for different vulnerable people on the move; to pray for them as they face many challenges; and to increase awareness about the opportunities that migration offers.
Every year the WDMR is the last Sunday of September but this year, on the Jubilee of Migrants, the WDMR will be celebrated on 4 and 5 October.
The theme of Pope Leo XIV’s message for the 111th World Day of Migrants and Refugees is: Migrants, missionaries of hope. In this message, the Holy Father emphasizes the important witness that Catholic migrants and refugees can offer in a world affected by conflict and inequality in hoping and searching for a better and more peaceful future.
Read the Pope’s message.
The Vatican has a dedicated section for the Church’s ministry to Migrants and Refugees. It aims to help the Church, and others, to accompany those forced to flee and make sure they are not shut out or left behind.
Pope Leo XIV highlights how migrants and refugees in a special way can become witnesses of hope and tenacity amidst adversity and calls for a future of peace and respect for human dignity.
In a message to mark the World Day of Migrants and Refugees, Bishop Paul McAleenan has praised the Catholic community in England and Wales for the generous welcome and kindness many offer to refugees and migrants.
