Pope Leo XIV urges release of imprisoned journalists, affirms gift of free speech and press

VATICAN CITY AP Pope Leo XIV on Monday called for the release of imprisoned journalists and affirmed the precious gift of free speech and the press in an audience with a few of the journalists who descended on Rome to cover his poll as the first American pontiff Leo received a standing ovation as he entered the Vatican auditorium for his first meeting with representatives of the general masses The -year-old Augustinian missionary elected in a -hour conclave last week called for journalists to use words for peace to reject war and to give voice to the voiceless He expressed solidarity with journalists around the world who have been jailed for trying to seek and assessment the truth Drawing applause from the crowd he solicited for their release The church recognises in these bystanders I am thinking of those who statement on war even at the cost of their lives the courage of those who defend dignity justice and the right of people to be informed because only informed individuals can make free choices he declared The suffering of these imprisoned journalists challenges the conscience of nations and the international society calling on all of us to safeguard the precious gift of free speech and of the press Leo opened the meeting with a inadequate words in English joking that if the crowd was still awake and applauding at the end it mattered more than the ovation that greeted him Turning to Italian he thanked the journalists for their work covering the papal transition and urged them to use words of peace Peace begins with each one of us in the way we look at others listen to others and speak about others he mentioned In this sense the way we communicate is of fundamental importance we must say no to the war of words and images we must reject the paradigm of war After his brief speech in which he reflected on the power of words to do good he greeted certain of the journalists in the front rows and then shook hands with the crowd as he exited the audience hall down the central aisle He signed a inadequate autographs and posed for a minimal selfies Journalists later shared several of the limited words they exchanged with him including hints that Vatican plans are going ahead for Leo to journey to Turkey to commemorate an vital event in Catholic-Orthodox relations the th anniversary of the Council of Nicea Christianity s first ecumenical council Other tidbits emerged Journalists offered to play doubles in tennis or to organize a charity match Leo a regular tennis participant seemed competition but we can t invite Sinner he joked referring to the world No Jannik Sinner who is playing just up the Tiber at the Italian Open It was in the audience with journalists who covered the voting of history s first Latin American pope that Pope Francis explained his choice of name after St Francis of Assisi and his desire for a church which is poor and for the poor During his -year pontificate Francis too spoke about the value of journalism and as in recent months as January he appealed for the release of imprisoned journalists during a Holy Year event with the media