17.11.2025 02:47
Pope Leo XIII highlighted the social values of cinema by receiving famous Hollywood actors at the Vatican and addressed the threat of movie theaters closing.
Pope Leo XIII welcomed Hollywood actors and directors in the Vatican.
The President of the Vatican State and spiritual leader of Catholics, Pope Leo XIII, hosted numerous Hollywood stars in the Vatican, including Cate Blanchett, Viggo Mortensen, and Monica Bellucci.
CARRIERS OF IMAGINATION
Referring to the actors as 'carriers of imagination', the Pope spoke about his support for the global film industry. In his speech at the Clementine Hall in the Vatican, the Pope discussed the entertaining and educational power of cinema, stating, "Violence, poverty, exile, loneliness, addiction, and wars are issues that need to be expressed and narrated. Good cinema does not exploit pain; it recognizes and explores it. This is what all great directors do."
Pope Leo also drew attention to the closure of cinemas, calling on institutions to strive to preserve the social and cultural value of cinema. The Pope stated, "Cinemas are experiencing a concerning decline; many are being erased from cities and neighborhoods."