Pope: Successor of Peter must be free to speak truth and promote peace

Vatican City, February 18, 2026: Pope Leo XIV has affirmed that the Successor of Peter must remain free to proclaim the truth, denounce injustice and defend the weakest, especially in troubled times.

The Pope made the remarks on Wednesday during an audience with members of the Pro Petri Sede Association, an organisation dedicated to supporting the Successor of Peter.

Recalling the association’s historical roots, Pope Leo XIV noted that its members are the distant heirs of the Papal Zouaves — an infantry battalion of young Catholic men who volunteered to assist Pope Pius IX in defending the Papal States in the nineteenth century.

He praised the association for its continued support of the Apostolic See, while acknowledging that the socio-historical context has changed significantly since the mid-1800s. Today, he stressed, defending the freedom of the Roman Pontiff does not involve weapons or violence.

The Pope pointed out that even Pope Pius IX made a prophetic choice in September 1870 by refusing to allow bloodshed in Rome when Italian Risorgimento troops entered the city and brought an end to the Papal States.

Nevertheless, Pope Leo XIV observed that the proclamation of the Kingdom of God still encounters obstacles in many places and in different ways. For this reason, he said, the mission of the Pro Petri Sede Association remains highly relevant.

As Bishop of Rome, he explained, the Pope has received the mission to gather the faithful in unity and to proclaim the Gospel of salvation.

“In the troubled times in which we live,” he said, “how important it is that ‘Peter’ retain complete freedom to speak the truth, denounce injustice, defend the rights of the weakest, promote peace and, above all, proclaim Jesus Christ who died and rose again — the only possible horizon for a reconciled humanity.”

The Pope also thanked members of the association for their prayers and charitable initiatives in support of the poor. He expressed particular gratitude for their financial assistance to a charitable project in his former Diocese of Chiclayo, Peru.

He said the establishment of a training centre for those most in need would prove extremely valuable and would enable him, despite geographical distance, to remain close to the people of the diocese through prayer and charity.

Concluding his address, Pope Leo XIV emphasised the power of prayer in sustaining the mission of the Pope and the Holy See. He entrusted the members of the Pro Petri Sede Association to the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Pope: Successor of Peter must be free to speak truth and promote peace

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