Pope Leo XIV told the new U.S. ambassador to the Holy See that he prays for Charlie Kirk and his family, Vatican spokesperson Matteo Bruni said Tuesday.
The pope spoke with Ambassador Brian Burch on Saturday during a ceremony where Burch presented his credentials. Bruni said Pope Leo also expressed concern about political violence. He stressed the need to avoid rhetoric that fuels division instead of dialogue.
“The pope confirmed that he is praying for Charlie Kirk,” Bruni said.
Kirk died on September 10 while speaking at Utah Valley University in Orem, near Salt Lake City. Tyler Robinson, 22, faces charges of aggravated murder in Kirk’s death.
Earlier, Pope Leo sent a telegram of condolence on August 27 after a shooting at a Catholic church in Minneapolis that killed two children. He did not send a telegram following Kirk’s killing.
Ambassador Burch hosted a diplomatic reception Monday. He described the moment as a “remarkable time to be in Rome” with an American pope leading the Church. Burch also shared that Pope Leo told him, “He is not an American pope. He is a pope of America for the world.”
Burch’s organization, CatholicVote, based in Chicago, supported Donald Trump in the 2024 election. It helped mobilize Catholic voters to back the Republican candidate.
