Pope Leo XIV Says He Is Praying for Charlie Kirk, Urges Restraint in Political Rhetoric
Pontiff told U.S. ambassador he is praying for the slain conservative activist and warned against rhetoric that fuels polarization
Pope Leo XIV told the new U.S. ambassador to the Holy See that he is praying for conservative activist Charlie Kirk, his wife and children following Kirk’s assassination in Utah, the Vatican said Tuesday.
The pontiff also expressed concern about political violence and urged leaders and public figures "to refrain from rhetoric and exploitation that lead to polarization rather than dialogue," Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said in a statement summarizing remarks made when the pope received Ambassador Brian Burch to accept his credentials Saturday.
Bruni quoted the pope as saying he was praying for Kirk and his family. The remarks came during the ambassadors' first formal audience with the pontiff since Burch presented his diplomatic credentials. Burch later hosted a welcome reception for members of the diplomatic corps, cardinals and other guests in Rome.
Kirk, 31, a co-founder of the conservative group Turning Point USA, was shot during an event on the campus of Utah Valley University in Orem on Sept. 10. He was taken to a hospital in critical condition and later pronounced dead. Authorities have identified the alleged gunman as 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, who was charged with aggravated murder after a two-day nationwide manhunt that ended when Robinson’s family persuaded him to surrender.
The Vatican statement said the pope’s comments also reflected broader concern about political violence. Bruni said Leo urged a turn away from incendiary public language that can deepen social divisions and make reconciliation more difficult.
The Vatican noted that the pope had previously sent a telegram of condolence after a separate mass shooting at Annunciation Catholic Church in Minnesota, an attack that left two children dead and 18 others wounded, including more than a dozen schoolchildren. The Vatican statement said no telegram was sent regarding Kirk’s killing.
At the diplomatic reception, Burch described the audience with the pope as taking place at a "remarkable time to be in Rome," noting the pontiff told him, "he is not an American pope. He is a pope of America for the world," comments that Burch relayed to assembled guests.
The pope’s call for restraint echoed broader concerns in the United States about political rhetoric and public safety after a series of high-profile violent incidents. In the days since Kirk’s death, public officials and leaders from across the political spectrum have discussed the role of speech and security; some have emphasized the protections of free speech, while others have highlighted the need to avoid language that could incite violence.
The Vatican said the audience was the first between Leo and the American ambassador and that the pope prayed specifically for Kirk and his family during their meeting. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
(Reporting by Vatican press office statements and public records; additional reporting by U.S. law enforcement releases and media.)