Pope Leo XIV does not foresee going to his native country, the United States, “soon,” as he stated on Tuesday in response to a question from NBC News host Lester Holt, after his speech to the media representatives who covered his election as the new pontiff of the Catholic Church.
According to Vatican News, after his speech, Robert Prevost approached to personally greet some correspondents.
Possible trip to the sanctuary of Fatima?
Also, a Portuguese journalist reminded him of the trip he had planned to the sanctuary of Fátima, located north of Lisbon, whose festivity is on May 13th. “Yes, Cardinal Prevost was planning to go but the plans have changed,” replied León XIV.
Other reporters have asked him if he will make the trip to Nicaea, in Turkey, that Francis had pending, on the occasion of the 1700th anniversary of the Council. According to the official Vatican newspaper, Leo XIV was open to this possibility.
It was also reported that Inés San Martín, communication manager of the Pontifical Mission Societies, proposed a tennis match to him, to which the pope responded: “Yes, that’s a good idea. But don’t bring Sinner,” in reference to the world number 1, who precisely is in the Rome Open, in his first tournament appearance after serving a three-month doping suspension.
Freedom for journalists
In his speech, Pope Leo XIV called for the release of journalists “imprisoned for telling the truth”, defended freedom of expression and the press, and said “no to the war of words”.
“Today, the Church reiterates its solidarity with the journalists who are imprisoned for seeking and reporting the truth. With these words, we also ask for the release of these imprisoned journalists,” he said, eliciting applause from the hundreds of attendees in the Paul VI Hall at the Vatican.