Pope Leo XIV urges release of imprisoned journalists, affirms gift of free speech and press
- During a May 12 audience at Vatican City with 6,000 media workers covering his election, Pope Leo XIV urged that journalists who are detained be freed.
- His appeal follows Pope Francis' 12-year pontificate, which included calls to free jailed journalists and emphasized journalism's essential role in informing free choices.
- Leo urged journalists to reject warlike language, promote peace through communication, and showed solidarity with reporters imprisoned for seeking to reveal truth.
- He urged that all forms of bias, hostility, fanaticism, and hatred be removed from communication, freeing it from aggressive intent, and he ended with a plea to deliberately embrace communication that promotes peace.
- This message reinforces the Church’s recognition of journalism’s courage amid global challenges and suggests Leo’s leadership will focus on peace, unity, and defending free speech.
340 Articles
340 Articles
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Pope Leo XIV arrives for an audience with journalists on May 12, 2025, at Paul VI Hall in Vatican City. (Christopher Furlong/Getty) Pope Leo XIV arrives for an audience with thousands of journalists and media workers on May 12, 2025 at Paul VI Hall in Vatican City. The audience with journalists has become a tradition among newly elected popes. (Christopher Furlong/Getty) Pope Leo XIV speaks from the central balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica from …
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