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Pope Leo Fourteen ended his first meeting with a Vatican-approved journalist on Monday morning.
According to the New York Times, more than 1,000 media were gathered to listen to his comments. Some of them even carry children.
Vatican media reported that the gathering took place in Paul's Sixth Hall in the Vatican. There, the Pope "thanks to the journalists for their unremitting efforts for the Italians over the past few weeks."
"Let us remove communication against all prejudice and resentment, fanaticism and even hatred," the pope told reporters. "Let us remove the wording and we will help remove the world."
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Pope Leo Xiv arrived on Monday, May 12, 2025 when meeting with international media at Paul VI Hall in the Vatican. (Domenico stinellis)
The 69-year-old called for the release of imprisoned journalists and confirmed "freedom of speech and valuable gifts from the press," the Associated Press reported.
He expressed solidarity with journalists around the world who were sentenced to jail for trying to find and report the truth. He drew applause from the crowd and he asked them to release.
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Pope Leo Xiv prayed to members of the international media on May 12, 2025 at Paul VI Hall in the Vatican. (Domenico stinellis)
He said: "The Church recognizes among these witnesses - I am thinking about the courage of those who fight at the expense of their lives - those who are told to defend dignity, justice and people's rights, because only those who know can choose freely."
The Pope also told reporters that they must act responsibly using artificial intelligence at work, asking them to “make sure it can be used for the benefit of all people so that it can benefit all human beings”.
On Monday, May 12, 2025, many international journalists met with Pope Leo XIV in the Vatican. (Domenico stinellis)
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The Pope speaks primarily in Italian, but makes a joke in English about the standing ovation he receives.
"Thank you for the pleasant reception," he said. "They said it's okay when they first clapped their hands.
The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.