Pope Leo praises San Marino as model of freedom and common good

Pope Leo XIV, flanked by San Marino's Captains Regent Alice Mina and Vladimiro Selva, greeted worshippers from the balcony of the City Hall on Saturday, August 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini) The Pope commended the Republic of San Marino, the world's oldest surviving republic, as a model of political freedom and civic responsibility.

He lauded the centuries-old republican traditions of the tiny nation, which is surrounded by Italy and home to about 35,000 people. Pope Leo XIV reflected on the legacy of Saints Marino and Leone, who he credited with establishing a society rooted in freedom, mutual respect, and community. He emphasized that these saints translated the Christian message into a model that strongly emphasized Christian principles of freedom, mutual respect, and communion.

The Pope argued that San Marino, with its unique power-sharing arrangement, demonstrates how small political communities can serve as examples of public service and social cohesion. This visit marked the third time a Pope has paid a visit to San Marino, following St. John Paul II in 1982 and Pope Benedict XVI in 2011. The Pope praised the society as "built on respect for one's own freedom and that of others and above all on respect for the sacred Will of God."