The  National Constitution Center  announced that it will award its  38th Liberty Medal  to  His Holiness Pope Leo XIV . The ceremony will take place on  July 3, 2026 , on the eve of the 250th anniversary of the United States Declaration of Independence.

The award recognizes the Pope’s career in promoting and defending  fundamental freedoms , especially religious freedom, freedom of conscience, and freedom of expression. These principles, according to the organizers, reflect the ideals enshrined by the Founding Fathers in the  First Amendment  to the U.S. Constitution.

The event will take place outdoors on  Independence Mall , across from the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia, a landmark of American history. Pope Leo XIV will participate remotely via a  live broadcast from the Vatican , where he will deliver his acceptance speech. The message will be projected live for attendees and broadcast internationally.

From the Holy See, the Director of the Press Office,  Matteo Bruni , conveyed the Holy Father’s gratitude for this recognition, which comes in a year of great significance for the United States. The Pope sees this anniversary as an opportunity for the American people to renew their commitment to founding values: freedom, human dignity, and inherent rights that must be protected and passed on to future generations.

The statement from the National Constitution Center highlights the Pope’s leadership in  interreligious and ecumenical dialogue , as well as his active defense of religious freedom as a concrete expression of human dignity. It pays particular attention to the most vulnerable communities, including minorities persecuted for their faith and people affected by conflict, discrimination, or social exclusion.

Established in 1988 to commemorate the bicentennial of the United States Constitution, the Presidential Medal of Freedom is awarded annually to individuals or organizations that, with determination and courage, expand the reach of liberty in the world. The National Constitution Center, located in the heart of historic Philadelphia, serves as a nonpartisan forum dedicated to educating, debating, and celebrating the vision of liberty and self-government enshrined in the Constitution.

This award recognizes how the pastoral and moral mission of Pope Leo XIV—the first pontiff born in the United States and a graduate of Villanova University—transcends confessional and geographical boundaries, uniting the teaching of the Church with the universal ideals of human rights and freedoms that are also part of the American constitutional legacy.