ROME — Pope Leo XIV called on the United States to recommit to its founding ideals of protecting life and human dignity as he accepted the Liberty Medal through a live video appearance at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia on Friday, a day before the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.
The Philadelphia-based National Constitution Center presented the annual Liberty Medal to Leo in recognition of what it described as his work promoting religious liberty and freedom of conscience and expression. The center said it honored the pope for advancing principles reflected in the First Amendment.
Speaking from Rome while wearing the medal, Leo reflected on the United States’ founding principles and its history of welcoming immigrants and promoting religious freedom.
The pope said the nation’s founders envisioned a country built on liberty, equality and the protection of fundamental rights, including life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
Leo also cited the country’s history of receiving successive waves of immigrants, saying they and their children helped shape the nation’s future.
He said every person possesses inherent human dignity and called for the protection of human life from conception to natural death.
“The moral greatness of a nation is manifested, above all, in its capacity to support, protect and cherish the lives of all, especially the most vulnerable and those whose worth is questioned,” Leo said.
The pope expressed hope that the United States would renew its commitment to the ideals of human dignity, equality and fundamental rights during the anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.
“May this year’s 250th anniversary be the occasion of a solemn recommitment to these ideals that have made America a country that values peace and prosperity, a country characterized by generosity and nobility of heart,” he said.
Leo is scheduled to spend July 4 on the Italian island of Lampedusa, a major arrival point for migrants crossing the Mediterranean.
The Chicago-born pope has previously called for migrants to be treated with dignity and welcomed, positions that have differed from the immigration policies of U.S. President Donald Trump.
Past recipients of the Liberty Medal include Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, former U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and late U.S. Rep. John Lewis.