During an address to members of the diplomatic corps on Friday, Pope Leo XIV warned that “Orwellian-style” ideology is taking root in the West and undermining free speech.

“It is painful to see how, especially in the West, the space for genuine freedom of expression is rapidly shrinking,” Pope Leo said. “At the same time, a new Orwellian-style language is developing which, in an attempt to be increasingly inclusive, ends up excluding those who do not conform to the ideologies that are fueling it.”

The pope said freedom of conscience is also increasingly under attack.

During an address to members of the diplomatic corps, Pope Leo XIV warned that woke ideology is taking root in the West and undermining free speech.  (Simone Risoluti – Vatican Media via Vatican Pool/Getty Images)

​​”At this moment in history, freedom of conscience seems increasingly to be questioned by States, even those that claim to be based on democracy and human rights,” Pope Leo said. “This freedom, however, establishes a balance between the collective interest and individual dignity. It also emphasizes that a truly free society does not impose uniformity but protects the diversity of consciences, preventing authoritarian tendencies and promoting an ethical dialogue that enriches the social fabric.”

The Pope also condemned “jihadist violence,” and addressed the persecution of Christians, calling it “one of the most widespread human rights crises today, affecting over 380 million believers worldwide.”

“Here, I would especially call to mind the many victims of violence, including religiously motivated violence in Bangladesh, in the Sahel region and in Nigeria, as well as those of the serious terrorist attack last June on the parish of Saint Elias in Damascus,” he said. “Nor do I forget the victims of jihadist violence in Cabo Delgado, Mozambique.”

People gather around the charred remains of a burned vehicle following a deadly attack in Komanda, Ituri province of eastern DR Congo, where 49 worshipers were killed at a church service by jihadists. Sunday, July 27, 2025.  (Olivier Okande/UGC via AP)

In August, Fox News reported that international observers witnessed ISIS-aligned soldiers were beheading Christians and burning churches and homes in central and Southern Africa, with some of the most brutal attacks happening in the nation of Mozambique.

It is estimated that more than 16 million Christians have been displaced from their homes in sub-Saharan Africa, facing threats of persecution, kidnapping, sexual violence and, in some cases, death from Islamist radicals.