RABAT, Morocco — Pope Francis called Saturday to mend the “great and deep wound” opened by the migration crisis, as he spoke during a visit to Morocco which has become the chief destination for sub-Saharan African migrants seeking to reach Europe.

“We do not want our response to be one of indifference and silence,” Francis said to about 80 migrants at a Catholic charity center in Rabat, the Moroccan capital.

Years after the explosion of the migration crisis destabilized Europe and provided fodder for hard-line politicians who surged to power across the continent, the issue seems to have faded and a consensus has emerged that migration needs to be checked and borders closed.

But Francis, who for years has been a lone voice on the migration issue, used his two-day stay in Rabat not only to continue to promote moderate Islam, but also to implore the more comfortable corners of the world to accept, protect and integrate migrants. He urged people to take concrete steps and “act prudently rather than remain silent.”