Pope visits San Marino, calls for respect for primacy of conscience
August 22, 2026
Pope Leo XIV visited the nation of San Marino earlier today and, in an extended reflection on liberty, invoked the example of St. Thomas More as he called for a respect for the primacy of conscience.
Following a welcome ceremony (video), the Pontiff traveled to the Palazzo Pubblico, where he met with the captains regent, the two joint heads of state who serve for six-month terms.
Reflecting on liberty, Pope Leo said in his Italian-language address that “there is no true civil freedom without personal freedom, that is, without respect for and promotion of the dignity of the human person, of which freedom is an essential component.”
“This freedom is given and guaranteed, in the final analysis, by God, whose voice resounds in the conscience of every human being,” Pope Leo continued. “Promoting freedom involves defending the spaces of conscience. And here my thoughts turn to the many men and women who, in every age and in every place, are martyrs of freedom because they bear witness precisely to the primacy of conscience.”
The Pope added:
Firmly formed by the search for truth, they are fully responsible for their own decisions and therefore free from any bond other than that proper to the creature which binds them to God. Exemplary in this is St. Thomas More, patron saint of rulers and politicians.
Even today, in many parts of the world, there is no lack of people who remain faithful to their conscience even in contexts of great adversity, witnesses of true freedom, that which comes from being sons and daughters of God. With admiration we express our solidarity with those who, at this moment, are paying the price for not having betrayed their conscience.
Pope Leo also spoke about the principles of Catholic social doctrine, the importance of multilateralism and diplomacy, and a care for others that is manifested in respect for the right to life.
“A community like yours, in fact, at the same time rich in traditional values and in step with the times on the technological level, can effectively pursue this goal, through a care that translates into the protection of every life, at every stage, from conception to natural death,” Pope Leo said.
Surrounded by Italy, San Marino (map), a nation of 35,000, is 91% Catholic.
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