Pope Leo XIV has celebrated World Press Freedom Day by condemning violations of media freedom around the world and paying tribute to journalists killed while reporting in conflict zones.
At the end of his weekly Sunday mass in sunny St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican, the Pope said the day highlights both the importance of independent journalism and the growing dangers journalists face.
The Roman Catholic leader urged believers to remember journalists and reporters who have lost their lives pursuing the truth, especially in conflict zones.
“We remember the many journalists and journalists who have been victims of war and violence,” the Pope said.
He said, “Today we celebrate World Press Freedom Day…Unfortunately, this right is often violated, sometimes in obvious ways, sometimes in more hidden forms.”
World Press Freedom Day, sponsored by the United Nations cultural agency UNESCO, aims to show support for media organizations that come under pressure or censorship. It is also an occasion to remember journalists killed in the line of duty.
In previous speeches, the Catholic Church leader has called journalism a pillar of society and democracy, and described information as a public good that must be protected and defended.
Last week, the leading Paris-based press freedom NGO, Reporters Sans Frontiers (RSF), or Reporters Without Borders, found that press freedom around the world has fallen to its lowest level in a quarter century.
