Pope expresses 'immense sadness' at picture of drowned migrants in Rio Grande

FILE PHOTO: Pope Francis holds the traditional Corpus Christi feast Mass in Rome, Italy June 23, 2019. Vatican Media/Handout via REUTERS

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Pope Francis expressed great sorrow at seeing a photo of a Salvadoran man and his 23-month-old daughter lying dead, face down in the Rio Grande river after trying to cross into the United States, the Vatican said on Wednesday.

The picture of Oscar Alberto Martinez Ramirez and his daughter Valeria has gone viral on social media in the United States and sparked renewed debate there on the plight of refugees and migrants from Central America.