First American pope calls on US to honor its founding ideals ahead of 250th anniversary

ROME, ITALY: As the United States prepares to mark the 250th anniversary of its independence, Pope Leo XIV on Friday, July 3, delivered a message that looked beyond parades and celebrations, urging Americans to reflect on the principles that shaped the nation.

Speaking from the Vatican while accepting a prestigious American honor, the first US-born pontiff said the country's founding vision remains a responsibility that must be renewed by every generation, emphasizing human dignity, liberty and the protection of the vulnerable.

Pope Leo emphasizes liberty, equality and human dignity

Pope Leo XIV accepted the 2026 Liberty Medal from the National Constitution Center through a live video address from Rome, becoming the first American pope to receive the recognition.

The institution said it was honoring him for his longstanding commitment to religious liberty, freedom of conscience and freedom of expression, values closely associated with the US Constitution and the First Amendment.

The award ceremony comes one day before Americans commemorate the nation's 250th birthday, giving the pope's remarks added symbolic significance.

Rather than focusing solely on the country's past achievements, Leo encouraged Americans to view the milestone as an opportunity to examine how faithfully the nation continues to uphold the ideals expressed in the Declaration of Independence.

Throughout his address, Leo repeatedly returned to the themes of equality, liberty and human dignity.

Pope Leo's message for Americans

The pope praised the vision of the country's founders, saying their belief that every individual possesses inherent rights transformed the United States into a global symbol of freedom.

At the same time, he cautioned that those aspirations should never be treated as complete or guaranteed.

Describing America's founding promise as an ongoing mission, the pope suggested each generation has a duty to strengthen and preserve those principles rather than assume they will endure on their own.

He expressed hope that the nation's 250th anniversary would become a moment of renewed commitment to the values that have defined the American experiment since its beginning.

Although the pope avoided direct political criticism during the ceremony, his comments arrive against the backdrop of previous differences with President Donald Trump's administration over immigration policy.

Leo has consistently argued that migrants should be welcomed with dignity and accompanied with compassion, positions that have occasionally contrasted with the administration's tougher border enforcement approach.