Pope Leo XIV: Death Penalty Attacks Human Dignity
On World Day Against the Death Penalty, he ties the Church’s stance to U.S. plans for a military firing‑squad execution.
Pope Leo XIV declared capital punishment “inadmissible because it is an attack on the inviolability and dignity of the person” in a message posted Oct. 10 on the official papal X account @Pontifex.
The statement came on the World Day Against the Death Penalty. The Holy Father emphasized that “the common good can be safeguarded and the requirements of justice can be met without recourse to capital punishment,” and noted that effective detention systems protect citizens while allowing for the possibility of redemption.
The message arrives as the U.S. Defense Department has announced plans related to a military execution by firing squad, with preparations for a livestreamed execution drawing attention in the Pope’s native United States.
The post aligns with Catholic teaching on the death penalty as revised under Pope Francis, which holds capital punishment inadmissible in light of the inviolability and dignity of the human person.