the Pope’s message broadens the horizon to include education, another priority on the bishops’ agenda. Photo: Vatican Media

Confirmed: The 4th Mediterranean Meeting will take place in Barcelona with the Pope in attendance

Their meeting with the Pope, held in the Apostolic Palace, lasted about an hour and centered on preparations for the next major milestone: a gathering of Mediterranean bishops scheduled for June 9–12 in Barcelona. It will be the fourth such assembly, following earlier encounters in Bari (2020), Florence (2022) and Marseille (2023), and will revolve around a single, urgent theme—peace

For the first time, a pope (Leo XIV) will receive the U.S. Medal of Freedom: here’s what you need to know

Organizers have been explicit about this broader interpretation. For them, honoring the pope is not only about recognizing an individual, but about narrating a longer story—one that includes multiple faith traditions and acknowledges the complex path through which religious liberty became a foundational principle in the United States