Liberty Medal

The 38th annual Liberty Medal will be awarded to His Holiness Pope Leo XIV at a public ceremony held on July 3, 2026, the eve of the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States, outside the National Constitution Center on Independence Mall in Philadelphia. The award recognizes Pope Leo’s lifelong work promoting religious liberty and freedom of conscience and expression around the world—ideals enshrined by America’s founders in the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Pope Leo XIV intends to deliver live acceptance remarks virtually from the Vatican, which will be livestreamed to those in attendance on Independence Mall as well as online via the Center’s website.

Taking place against the backdrop of Independence Hall, where the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution were signed, the ceremony will reflect on the enduring meaning of liberty at a moment of historic national reflection and will underscore Philadelphia’s central role in both the nation’s founding and its ongoing civic life. The event will bring together civic leaders, faith leaders, and members of the public to consider how America’s founding ideals articulated 250 years ago continue to resonate globally.

His Holiness Pope Leo XIV, born Robert Francis Prevost on September 14, 1955, in Chicago, Ill., is the first pope from the Order of Saint Augustine and the second American-born pontiff. He was elected supreme pontiff on May 8, 2025, after decades of pastoral leadership, missionary work, and service in the global Catholic Church.

Prevost was raised in Chicago and studied at the Minor Seminary of the Augustinian Fathers before attending Villanova University in Pennsylvania, where he earned a degree in mathematics in 1977 and also pursued studies in philosophy. That same year, he entered the Order of Saint Augustine, making his first profession in 1978 and his solemn vows in 1981. He completed theological studies at the Catholic Theological Union in Chicago and was ordained a priest on June 19, 1982, in Rome. He went on to study canon law at the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas (Angelicum), earning a licentiate in 1984 and later completing a doctorate focused on the governance of the Augustinian order.

Much of Father Prevost’s early ministry was devoted to missionary and pastoral work in Peru, where he served for more than a decade beginning in the mid-1980s. In Trujillo, he held multiple leadership roles within the Augustinian community, taught theology and canon law at the Major Seminary of San Carlos y San Marcelo, and ministered in parishes serving working-class and marginalized communities.

In 1999, he was elected provincial prior of the Augustinian Province of Chicago. Two years later, the worldwide Augustinian order elected him prior general, its highest leadership role. He served two terms, guiding the global community of Augustinians until 2013.

Pope Francis appointed Prevost apostolic administrator of the Diocese of Chiclayo, Peru, in 2014, and he was ordained a bishop later that year. In 2015, he was formally appointed bishop of Chiclayo, where he served until 2023. During this time, he also held leadership roles within the Peruvian Episcopal Conference, including service as second vice president and participation in several national commissions.

In 2023, Pope Francis called him to Rome to serve as prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops and president of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America, placing him at the center of the Church’s global leadership and episcopal appointments. Later that year, Pope Francis elevated him to the College of Cardinals.

On May 8, 2025, Cardinal Prevost was elected pope, taking the name Leo XIV. His episcopal motto, “In Illo Uno Unum” (“In the One Christ we are one”), reflects a theme of unity drawn from the writings of Saint Augustine.

The Liberty Medal is made possible thanks to support from corporations, foundations, and individuals with proceeds going to further the work of the National Constitution Center. Ticket and sponsorship opportunities will be available for reserved seating and special programming at the National Constitution Center. For more information or to be notified when online registration opens, click the link below, or contact [email protected].

The 2026 Liberty Medal Ceremony is made possible by:

Thank you to our prize sponsor:

 

 

The Liberty Medal, established in 1988 and hosted by the National Constitution Center since 2006, recognizes and celebrates individuals of courage and conviction who strive to secure the blessings of liberty to people around the globe. The Medal’s distinguished roster of recipients includes many of the men, women, and organizations that have shaped and guided the world through the past two decades. Recipients have included U.S. Presidents George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton, and George W. Bush; Supreme Court Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Anthony Kennedy; world leaders Nelson Mandela, Kofi Annan, and Mikhail Gorbachev; U.S. congressional leaders Senator John McCain and Representative John Lewis; and U.S. cultural influencers Muhammad Ali and Ken Burns.

The National Constitution Center in Philadelphia brings together people of all ages and perspectives, across America and around the world, to learn about, debate, and celebrate the greatest vision of human freedom in history, the U.S. Constitution. A private, nonprofit organization, we serve as America’s leading platform for constitutional education and debate, fulfilling our congressional charter “to disseminate information about the United States Constitution on a nonpartisan basis in order to increase awareness and understanding of the Constitution among the American people.” As the Museum of We the People, we bring the Constitution to life for visitors of all ages through interactive programs and exhibits. As America’s Town Hall, we convene the leading conservative and liberal thought leaders to debate the Constitution on all media platforms. As a Headquarters for Civic Education, we offer the best educational programs and online resources that inspire and engage all Americans in learning about the U.S. Constitution. For more information, call 215-409-6700 or visit constitutioncenter.org.

For information about sponsoring the Liberty Medal, please contact Rachel Dellon at [email protected]. For general inquiries, please contact, [email protected].