Pope Leo XIV releases his first encyclical: Magnifica humanitas

Pope Leo XIV presented his first encyclica Magnifica Humanitas - On Safeguarding the Human Person in the Time of Artificial Intelligence. 

He brings into modern times the social teachings of the church, which date back 135 years when Pope Leo XIII published his encyclica Rerum Novarum to respond to the social transformation caused by the industrial revolution. 

Today’s message of Pope Leo XIV is strong and clear: technology can help and support but never replace or reproduce humanity. It needs dialogue, vigilance and guardrails. 

Pope Leo mentioned in his encyclica, that Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony is an example of authentic culture and art that preserves the spark of humanity - which can never be replaced or reproduced by artificial intelligence.

As Ambassador of the European Union, Martin Selmayr was honoured to witness today this historic occasion in Rome. 

Full text of the encyclica here:

https://www.vatican.va/content/leo-xiv/en/encyclicals/documents/20260515-magnifica-humanitas.html

https://www.osservatoreromano.va/it/news/2026-05/quo-117/magnifica-humanitas.html

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