PHILADELPHIA — The National Constitution center celebrated on Friday Pope Leo XIV's reception of the Liberty Medal, honoring his commitment to religious freedom and celebrating the nation’s 250th anniversary in one of its oldest cities.
Awarded annually since 1989, the medal is bestowed on an individual of “courage and conviction who strive[s] to secure the blessings of liberty for people around the globe.” Leo is the first pope to receive the honor.
Though the medal was physically delivered in April, a capacity crowd gathered at the NCC for this weekend's ceremony to hear addresses from local religious leaders before taking in a live acceptance speech delivered virtually by Leo himself.
“As a son of this great country, founded by courageous men and women who dreamed of liberty and of a better life for themselves and for their children, I join you in asking God's blessings upon America's future., that the lofty ideals enshrined at the beginning of the Declaration of Independence may continue to guide the flourishing of the nation in unity, justice, and peace,” he said in his address, later noting the need for continued national vigilance.
“Today, as we look to the future, this historic anniversary presents us with the opportunity to reflect once again on the nation's founding principles in the hope that America will remain ever true to the dream that has earned it the title of land of the free and home of the brave.”
Authentic freedom is founded upon the human person’s capacity to know the truth and adhere to what is good, even at great cost.https://t.co/kQQ55yFbYK
— Pope Leo XIV (@Pontifex) July 3, 2026
In a letter released on Saturday, addressed to the American people in honor of the 250th Independence Day celebration, the pontiff similarly spoke of the nation’s founding values as an aspirational vision that is yet to be fully achieved.
“This anniversary stands as an invitation not only to celebrate the nation’s remarkable journey,” he wrote, “but also to reflect upon the responsibilities that the sons and daughters of this country bear to one another, and to the generations who will inherit the nation that is being shaped today.”
Without referring to the current federal administration in the United States—which has been at odds with Pope Leo on a variety of matters—the Holy Father in his letter specifically extolled the principles of religious freedom, the consistent life ethic, and welcoming immigrants.
“May this milestone renew the shared commitment to the promise of freedom, justice, opportunity and democracy,” Leo wrote.
“May Americans honor the courage and vision of those who came before them by strengthening their communities, respecting their differences and working together toward a more perfect union.”
I extend my heartfelt congratulations to all Americans on the occasion of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. This anniversary stands as an invitation not only to celebrate the nation’s remarkable journey, but also to reflect upon the…
— Pope Leo XIV (@Pontifex) July 4, 2026
Bringing his own words into effect, Leo spent his July 4th on pilgrimage to Lampedusa, an island in southern Italy known as a waystation for migrants seeking passage into Europe from troubled lives in various parts of Africa.
There, the pope stepped onto the rocky terrain where hundreds of thousands have passed through the Mediterranean Sea in recent years, while more than 30,000 have died trying. Leo delivered an address there on Saturday morning, echoing the first apostolic trip of his predecessor, Pope Francis, in 2013.
“Dear friends, today Lampedusa and Linosa lie along a path as dangerous as the one that led down from Jerusalem to Jericho,” he said, referring to the two sister islands of the local Italian municipality and the first-century pedestrian corridor referenced by Jesus in the parable of the Good Samaritan.
“Indeed, before any intellectual consideration or ideological conviction, the encounter with those who lie before us, stripped of everything, calls us to be close to them.”
The pontiff had been invited to attend this year’s 250th anniversary celebrations in the United States, the land of his birth, with a hand-delivered invitation from his coreligionist, Vice President JD Vance, in May 2025.
Leo turned down the invitation, with the Holy See Press Office later ruling out any such trip in 2026.
Nate Tinner-Williams is co-founder and editor of Black Catholic Messenger.
