Pope Leo XIV to receive Liberty Medal during America's 250th celebrations in Philadelphia

PHILADELPHIA -- Pope Leo XIV will be this year's recipient of the Liberty Medal in Philadelphia.

The National Constitution Center says it will honor the Pontiff on Independence Mall on July 3, the eve of America's 250th anniversary.

The award recognizes Pope Leo's lifelong work promoting religious liberty and freedom of expression, ideals valued by the founding fathers in the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

The Chicago-born Pope, who graduated from Villanova University, will take part virtually and deliver his acceptance remarks live from the Vatican.

It will be streamed for anyone in attendance on Independence Mall and on the National Constitution Center's website.

The Liberty Medal was established in 1988 to commemorate the bicentennial of the U.S. Constitution.

Past recipients include Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Ruth Bader Ginsberg, Bono, President George W. Bush and Laura Bush, Stephen Spielberg, and the Dalai Lama.

For more information, visit ConstitutionCenter.org.