The Vatican confirmed that Pope Leo XIV will accept the award and offer live remarks virtually.
Pope Leo XIV will offer live remarks via telecast to a crowd in Philadelphia when he accepts the Liberty Medal award from the National Constitution Center (NCC) on July 3 during a celebration of the 250th anniversary of American independence.
The Holy Father, a Chicago native who earned a bachelor’s degree at Villanova University in the Philadelphia suburbs, will be given the award to honor his commitment to religious freedom and freedom of conscience and expression around the world, according to a news release from the NCC.
The event will be held on Independence Mall, which is near the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall, where the Founding Fathers signed the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. His remarks will also be livestreamed on NCC’s website.
“From its founding, America has understood liberty of conscience as essential to human freedom and self-government,” Mike George, chair of the NCC Board of Trustees, said in a statement.
“Pope Leo XIV’s moral leadership and his defense of religious freedom and free expression embodies these enduring principles,” he said. “Honoring him with the Liberty Medal affirms the
