Pope Leo XIV calls for peace and press freedom in his first news briefing

Pope Leo XIV made an impassioned plea for peace and expressed solidarity with imprisoned journalists in his first news briefing since becoming pontiff Monday, calling for "the precious gift of free speech and of the press" to be protected.

Pope Leo XIV made an impassioned plea for peace and expressed solidarity with imprisoned journalists in his first news briefing since becoming pontiff Monday, calling for "the precious gift of free speech and of the press" to be protected.

Leo, the first pope born in the United States, who is a dual citizen of America and Peru, entered the Vatican auditorium to a standing ovation and thundering applause as he gave his first address in front of some 6,000 journalists. The 69-year-old Augustinian thanked the crowed in English before reading out his statement in Italian.

"Let me, therefore, reiterate today the Church’s solidarity with journalists who are imprisoned for seeking and reporting the truth while also asking for their release," Leo said. He also urged journalists to avoid "ideological or partisan" language.

"We do not need loud, forceful communication," he said, "But rather communication that is capable of listening and of gathering the voices of the weak who have no voice."

Artificial intelligence, which he earlier said played a role in selection of his papal name, has to be used with “responsibility and discernment,” he said.