Pope Leo XIV to accept Liberty Medal remotely ahead of July 4

Pope’s Philadelphia ceremony set for July 3, with broadcast from Rome

Pope Leo XIV will accept the Liberty Medal in Philadelphia on July 3 in a remote broadcast from Rome, according to the National Constitution Center. The center said the pope will be honored on Independence Mall on the eve of July 4.

The Vatican has confirmed that the pope will not travel to the United States during this year’s 250th birthday celebrations, the Associated Press reported.

Liberty Medal framed around religious liberty and conscience

The National Constitution Center said it will honor Leo for his “lifelong work promoting religious liberty and freedom of conscience and expression around the world — ideals enshrined by America’s founders in the First Amendment.” The center said the medal is awarded each year to someone “of courage and conviction” who promotes liberty around the world.

Past Liberty Medal recipients cited by the center include Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and U.S. Rep. John Lewis.

July 4 instead in Lampedusa, arrival point for migrants

For the Fourth of July, Leo will spend the day on the Sicilian island of Lampedusa, described by the AP as the arrival point for many migrants trying to reach Europe from Africa.

The Associated Press said the pope’s focus on migrants follows his predecessor’s approach, and noted that Pope Francis used Lampedusa as a platform for highlighting migration-related issues.

Vatican confirmation comes despite invitation from Trump

The Associated Press said the Vatican confirmed Leo will not make the trip to the United States, despite an invitation from President Donald Trump.

Leo’s year also includes a grand tour of Italy and trips to four African nations, the AP reported.

Biographical background for Pope Leo XIV

The AP reported that Leo, born Robert F. Prevost, was raised in Chicago and attended Villanova University near Philadelphia, graduating in 1977.

Lampedusa precedent under Pope Francis

The AP said Pope Francis made Lampedusa his first trip outside Rome after his 2013 election, celebrating Mass there on an altar made of shipwrecked migrant boats.

The AP also said Francis denounced the “globalization of indifference,” a phrase it said contributed to increased tensions with the first Trump administration. Francis visited Philadelphia during a six-day trip across the U.S. in 2015.