PHILADELPHIA — Pope Leo XIV used a Liberty Medal acceptance address marking the United States' 250th anniversary to urge Americans to recommit themselves to the nation's founding ideals of human dignity, liberty, equality and religious freedom, while highlighting the country's historic openness to immigrants and the protection of vulnerable people.
The U.S.-born pontiff accepted the 38th Liberty Medal by live video from the Vatican during a ceremony hosted by the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia on Friday, the eve of Independence Day. The annual award recognized his lifelong promotion of religious liberty and freedom of conscience and expression, according to the center.
Addressing the audience, Leo said the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence should become "the occasion of a solemn recommitment" to the principles that have shaped the United States. He praised the nation's founders for affirming that all people are created equal and possess inalienable rights, saying those ideals continue to provide guidance for the country's future.
The pope said the United States became "a byword for freedom" in part because it welcomed successive generations of immigrants, enabling them and their descendants to help shape the nation. He also said America's longstanding commitment to religious liberty had encouraged interfaith dialogue and cooperation while protecting freedom of conscience.
Leo argued that respect for human dignity begins with protecting life and said a nation's moral greatness is measured by its willingness to "support, protect and cherish" all people, especially the most vulnerable. He called for laws that recognize and safeguard human life from conception to natural death, reflecting longstanding Catholic teaching.
Without naming political leaders or parties, the pope urged Americans to seek unity rooted in enduring principles rather than temporary goals. He concluded his address by praying that the anniversary would inspire renewed commitment to peace, justice and the ideals expressed in the Declaration of Independence, ending with the words, "May God bless America."
The Liberty Medal ceremony took place as the United States celebrated the 250th anniversary of its founding. Rather than travel to the United States for the occasion, Leo remained in Europe, where he was scheduled to continue commemorations with a visit to the Italian island of Lampedusa, a symbolic destination for migrants crossing the Mediterranean.
