Pope Leo XIV, the first American‑born pontiff, will take part virtually in the United States’ 250th anniversary celebrations — having previously declined an invitation from the Trump administration to attend Fourth of July events in person.
The 70-year-old is scheduled to receive the 38th annual Liberty Medal from the National Constitution Center on July 3, and will deliver virtual remarks to a crowd outside the center on Independence Mall in Philadelphia, the nonprofit announced Monday. Created in 1988 and hosted by the National Constitution Center since 2006, the Liberty Medal honors individuals and organizations whose courage and conviction advance freedom worldwide. Past recipients include U.S. presidents, Supreme Court justices, world leaders, lawmakers, and cultural figures like Muhammad Ali and Ken Burns.
Despite the prestigious honor and invitations from President Donald Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance, the Vatican confirmed that Leo will not visit the U.S. this year. Instead, he will spend July 4 on Lampedusa, a Mediterranean island and destination on what has become one of the world’s deadliest migration routes, according to a Reuters report. The late Pope Francis visited the island in 2013.
Leo has previous called for “deep reflection” about the treatment of detained migrants under the Trump administration, PBS reports, saying “many people who have lived for years and years and years, never causing problems, have been deeply affected by what is going on right now.”
In November, he also hit out at the “extremely disrespectful” treatment of migrants in the U.S.
"We have to look for ways of treating people humanely, treating people with the dignity that they have. If people are in the United States illegally, there are ways to treat that. There are courts. There's a system of justice," the Chicago-born Pontiff said, according to NPR.
"No one has said that the United States should have open borders," he continues.
Last month, Trump’s top immigration official, Tom Homan, criticized Leo for questioning U.S. immigration policy, saying the Church should address its own issues first. Homan defended border enforcement, claiming it “saves lives,” and that the Vactican City had stricter penalties.
“Bottom line is, if we jump the wall of the Vatican, the penalties for doing that are much harder than ones here in United States,” Homan said.
The Independent has contacted the White House for comment.
