Pope Francis has said European countries must “find the right balance between its two-fold moral responsibility” to protect its citizens from terrorism and welcome migrants and refugees. The Pope’s comments came in his annual address to the diplomatic corps in the Apostolic Palace in the Vatican. He said the “immense influx” of migrants to Europe from Asia and Africa “raised questions” about security and “the cultural and social structures of the receiving countries”. “The massive number of arrivals on the shores of Europe appear to be overburdening the system of reception painstakingly built on the ashes of the Second World War, a system that is still an acknowledged beacon of humanity,” Pope Francis said. “Given the immense influx and the inevitable problems it creates, a number of questions have be raised about the real possibilities for accepting and accommodating people, about changes in the cultural and social structures of the receiving countries, and about the reshaping of certain regional geopolitical balances. “Equally significant are fears about security, further exacerbated by the growing threat of international terrorism. The present wave of migration seems to be undermining the foundations of that ‘humanistic spirit’ which Europe has always loved and defended.” However, he added that there should be “no loss of the values and principles of humanity, respect for the dignity of every person, mutual subsidiarity and solidarity, however much they may prove, in some moments of history, a burden difficult to bear”.