Castel Gandolfo, Italy—In a gathering marked by humor, urgency, and a call for global unity, Hollywood icon and climate activist Arnold Schwarzenegger dubbed Pope Leo XIV an "Action Hero" for his decisive leadership on climate change—though the Pope himself humbly passed the credit to those working tirelessly for the environment. Their exchange, which took place on Wednesday, October 1, 2025, at a conference commemorating the 10th anniversary of Pope Francis’s landmark climate encyclical Laudato Si', was emblematic of a broader movement pushing for faith-driven climate action and local solutions to a planetary crisis.
Schwarzenegger, the Austrian-born former California governor and star of such films as Terminator and Last Action Hero, was in Italy for the "Raising Hope for Climate Justice" event, which aimed to celebrate a decade since Laudato Si' called on Catholics and all people of goodwill to care for "our common home." The conference, held at Castel Gandolfo and attended by climate activists, religious leaders, and scientists, sought to highlight both the progress made and the daunting challenges still facing humanity as the planet warms.
With his trademark blend of showmanship and candor, Schwarzenegger told the assembled crowd, "I'm sitting next to a hero, an Action Hero," gesturing to Pope Leo XIV. The room erupted in laughter, with Schwarzenegger quickly adding, "You're laughing because he doesn't look like an action hero, because they're usually muscular and have guns, but I call him a hero because as soon as he became pope, he ensured that solar panels were installed in the Vatican, one of the first countries to become carbon-neutral." The crowd responded with a round of applause, recognizing the Vatican’s pioneering role in sustainable energy.
Pope Leo XIV, however, deflected the praise. "I am not the Action Hero, but all of you who are working on this," he said, turning the spotlight on the scientists, activists, and ordinary people striving to protect the environment and promote what he called "integral ecology." According to ANSA, the Pope’s humility underscored a central theme of the event: that real change is the product of collective action, not individual heroics.
The previous day, Schwarzenegger had taken part in a Vatican news conference previewing the event. There, he lamented the lack of environmental focus in Catholic homilies, saying, "I wish I could go to Mass at least once and hear a homily on what Catholics can and should do to reduce pollution." His remarks, as reported by ucanews.com, reflected his belief that faith and unity are essential to saving the planet.
Schwarzenegger, who founded the Schwarzenegger Climate Initiative to empower individuals in the fight against pollution, recounted his own battles for environmental protection as California’s governor from 2003 to 2011. He recalled, "God inspired me to enact tough environmental protection rules as governor of California, and when President George W. Bush's administration tried to stop me, we took them to court and won. We said, 'Hasta la vista, baby.'" The quote, a nod to his famous Terminator 2 catchphrase, drew both laughter and admiration, highlighting how pop culture and policy can sometimes work hand in hand.
But Schwarzenegger was quick to stress the limitations of individual action. "No one is able to terminate all the pollution alone," he said. "People must work together, especially on a local level." He cited the Vatican’s installation of solar panels on the Paul VI Audience Hall and ongoing efforts to build an agrivoltaic system—an innovative approach combining agriculture and solar energy—on Vatican-owned land outside Rome. This system, he noted, could soon supply the rest of Vatican City’s energy needs, making the world’s smallest state a model for carbon neutrality.
Brazilian Cardinal Jaime Spengler, president of the Brazilian bishops' conference, brought a sense of urgency to the proceedings. He acknowledged Schwarzenegger as "an idol of my youth from his films," but quipped, "I thought he'd be taller." Turning serious, Cardinal Spengler warned, "We cannot escape or ignore the challenges that our mistreated planet is placing before us. The signs are undeniable! We are living in times marked by danger—the danger of reaching a point of no return, a breaking point." He cautioned against the belief that "reality, goodness and truth can spontaneously emerge from technology and the economy," arguing that such thinking risks placing humanity above nature, with perilous consequences.
"The Earth, with all that it contains, is a living being. And like every living being, it is fragile!" Cardinal Spengler declared. Yet he remained hopeful, asserting that "human beings can change, and the Spirit of God can renew the face of the earth if people are willing to cooperate." His remarks, reported by ucanews.com, echoed Pope Francis’s call for ecological conversion and collective responsibility.
Salesian Sister Alessandra Smerilli, an economist and Vatican official, emphasized the transformative impact of Laudato Si'. She told reporters it was "providential to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Laudato Si' during the Jubilee of Hope because it is not just a magisterial document but a navigation guide, and one that hundreds of dioceses, thousands of parishes and universities and millions of people already are acting on." Her comments highlighted the encyclical’s reach, from the grassroots to the global stage.
The event also looked ahead to the 30th U.N. Climate Change Conference, or COP30, scheduled for November 2025 in Brazil. Cardinal Spengler’s homeland will host world leaders as they grapple with the challenge of limiting global warming and preventing irreversible damage to the planet. The timing—coinciding with the Laudato Si' anniversary—served as a reminder that faith communities have a vital role to play in shaping global environmental policy.
Schwarzenegger, for his part, urged Catholics and all people of faith to move beyond words to action. "No one is able to terminate all the pollution alone," he repeated, underscoring the need for joint efforts, especially at the local level. He praised the Vatican’s leadership, saying it was "a true action hero for installing solar panels on the Paul VI Audience Hall and working on building an agrivoltaic system on a Vatican property outside of Rome that could supply the rest of Vatican City's energy needs."
As the conference drew to a close, the atmosphere was one of cautious optimism—tempered by the enormity of the task but buoyed by the sense that, when faith and science work together, even the most daunting challenges can be met. The exchange between Schwarzenegger and Pope Leo XIV may have started with a joke, but the message was serious: real heroes are those who act, inspire, and unite others for the common good.
