Speaking at the conclusion of his weekly Sunday prayer in Saint Peter’s Square, the pontiff said the annual observance underscored both the value of independent journalism and the growing threats faced by reporters carrying out their work.

“Today we celebrate World Press Freedom Day , unfortunately, this right is often violated, sometimes in blatant ways, sometimes in more hidden forms,” he told worshippers gathered in the square under clear skies.

The pope urged the faithful to remember journalists and correspondents who had lost their lives while pursuing facts and reporting from areas affected by war and violence.“We remember the many journalists and reporters who have been victims of war and violence,” he said.

World Press Freedom Day, supported by UNESCO and observed annually on May 3, serves as a global platform to defend media independence, highlight censorship and intimidation, and honor journalists who have died in the line of duty.

The Catholic leader has repeatedly described journalism as a pillar of democracy and social accountability, emphasizing that access to truthful information is a public good that must be protected from manipulation and political pressure.

In previous addresses, he has thanked reporters for their role in uncovering facts and holding power to account, arguing that journalism should never be criminalized and calling for the release of journalists unfairly detained or prosecuted around the world.

His remarks come at a time when press freedom advocates continue to warn of growing restrictions on independent reporting, particularly in conflict zones where journalists face heightened risks of detention, violence and death.

The Vatican has increasingly used global observances such as Press Freedom Day to reinforce broader appeals for human dignity, transparency and protection of civil institutions amid rising international instability.

The animated video, published by LBCI on Friday, depicted Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem, a senior Shiite cleric, addressing fighters represented as birds battling the Israeli army, which was shown as the game’s green pigs.

The clip quickly drew anger from Hezbollah supporters, many of whom accused the broadcaster of mocking both the group and Qassem’s religious standing. Some supporters responded by posting insulting messages and images targeting Maronite Patriarch Beshara Rai, the highest Christian religious authority in Lebanon.

In a statement, Hezbollah said the video crossed acceptable political boundaries and amounted to “offensive and cheap insults that degrade political discourse to a repulsive level.”The group also urged its supporters not to be “drawn into” what it described as a controversy being “orchestrated by the enemies of the resistance,” signaling an effort to contain the fallout as criticism widened across Lebanon’s already fragile sectarian landscape.

LBCI, founded in the 1980s by the Lebanese Forces, a Christian political party historically opposed to Hezbollah, has in recent years sought to distance itself from partisan affiliations and present itself as an independent broadcaster.

The backlash underscored the sensitivity surrounding political satire in Lebanon, where media outlets, artists and comedians have periodically faced public pressure and legal scrutiny over content seen as offensive to religious or political figures despite the country’s relatively broad space for free expression compared with much of the Arab world.

“Before our holy symbols and our sheikh, all holy symbols fall,” one Hezbollah supporter wrote on X, referring to Patriarch Rai, reflecting the increasingly hostile rhetoric that followed the broadcast.Following the online attacks against Rai, several political and religious officials contacted the patriarch to express solidarity and condemn the sectarian tone of the exchanges.

President Joseph Aoun said in a statement on Saturday that he “condemned and rejected any attacks on the heads of Christian and Muslim religious communities and spiritual figures in Lebanon.”He urged citizens “to refrain from personal insults,” warning of the “negative repercussions” of such rhetoric at a time when Lebanon requires broader national solidarity amid deep political and economic strain.

The dispute comes as Hezbollah remains under intense scrutiny over its military confrontation with Israel. The group entered the regional conflict on March 2 after firing rockets toward Israel in support of its ally Iran, drawing Lebanon deeper into escalating regional hostilities.

Since then, more than 2,600 people have been killed in Israeli attacks, according to Lebanese authorities, despite a fragile truce that took effect on April 17 and has yet to fully halt violence along the border.

The episode highlights how political satire, sectarian identity and regional conflict continue to intersect sharply in Lebanon, where symbolic disputes can quickly evolve into broader national tensions.