Pope Leo visits US Ambassador to the Holy See for the Fourth of July

By Deborah Castellano Lubov

Today, the Fourth of July, marks the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

Accordingly, this morning, the Vatican published Pope Leo’s letter to the American people, in which he assured them of his prayers on the special occasion.

The Pope had spent the first half of Saturday making a pastoral visit to the southern Italian island of Lampedusa showing how closeness to migrants.

After the full day, the Holy See Press Office informed journalists that, “welcoming the invitation of the United States Ambassador to the Holy See, Brian Burch, the Holy Father visited the Ambassador’s residence in Rome on Saturday evening, on the occasion of the national holiday.”

On Friday evening, Rome time, on the eve of the anniversary, Pope Leo accepted the Liberty Medal from the U.S. National Constitution Center in recognition of his lifelong commitment to promoting religious liberty and freedom of conscience and expression around the world.

The Chicago-born Pope addressed those gathered in Philadelphia by video message from the Vatican. He prayed that the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States would be an occasion for a renewed commitment to the fundamental ideals on which the nation was founded, especially life and freedom, concluding with the words, “May God bless America.”

“As a son of this great country, founded by courageous men and women who dreamed of liberty and of a better life for themselves and for their children,” Pope Leo said, “I join you in asking God’s blessings upon America’s future, that the lofty ideals enshrined at the beginning of the Declaration of Independence may continue to guide the flourishing of the nation in unity, justice and peace.”