By Elke Porter | WBN News Global | May 13, 2025

Pope Leo XIV’s First Speech: A Banquet of Blessings, Bytes, and Bold Calls for Peace

In a heartfelt debut, Pope Leo XIV addressed the world’s media from the Vatican on Monday, May 12, 2025, in his first speech as pontiff. Dressed in traditional papal vestments, he expressed deep gratitude to journalists for their dedication to truth and peace, acknowledging their vital role in informing the global community.

Elected on May 8, Leo XIV embraced his role as a spiritual leader with warmth and enthusiasm. Speaking in the Pope Paul VI Audience Hall, he thanked the press for their tireless coverage of his recent transition, a process both intricate and humbling. “Your long days have helped sustain hope and unity,” he said, commending their service.

His Holiness urged journalists to uphold honesty and freedom of speech, calling them “guardians of truth” in a complex digital age. “You shape a more peaceful world through your work,” he said, encouraging them to foster dialogue and understanding. Quoting an ancient wisdom— “we are the times”—he emphasized that peace begins with how we see, hear, and speak to one another, building bridges through compassion.

Referencing Pope Francis' message from the World Day of Social Communications in January, Leo said, "Let us disarm communication of all prejudice and resentment, fanaticism and even hatred; let us free it from aggression. We do not need loud, forceful communication, but rather communication that is capable of listening and of gathering the voices of the weak who have no voice."

Leo XIV addressed the challenges of modern communication, stressing the need for ethical environments where discussion can thrive. He touched -noted the importance of a moral framework even for technologies like artificial intelligence, underscoring his forward-thinking vision.

With profound seriousness, he highlighted the plight of imprisoned journalists worldwide, naming figures like Maria Ponomarenko and Sophia Huang Xueqin for their courage. “The Church and the global community must stand with those who risk their lives for truth,” he declared, signaling a papacy committed to advocating for press freedom.

The new pontiff expressed the Church’s solidarity with journalists imprisoned for their reporting, a pressing global crisis. According to the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), 361 journalists were behind bars as of December 1, 2024, with China (48), Israel and the occupied Palestinian territory (37), Myanmar (36), Russia (30), and Belarus (27) leading the list.

From Russia’s Matrosskaya Tishina prison, where journalists like Antonina Favorskaya face overcrowding and harsh conditions, to China’s detention of reporters like Dong Yuyu for “espionage,” the crackdown on press freedom is stark.

Pope Leo XIV’s speech marked the start of a new chapter, blending hope, humor, and a call for human connection amid a noisy digital world. His message resonated as a reminder that truth and peace remain within reach, guided by faith and shared responsibility.

End of message from the Vatican’s newest voice of hope.

#Pope Leo XIV #Vatican News #Press Freedom #Truth Matters #Peace Through Words #Journalism Matters #WBN News Vancouver #Elke Porter

Connect with Elke at Westcoast German Media or on LinkedIn: Elke Porter or contact her on WhatsApp:  +1 604 828 8788

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