Pope Leo XIV on Saturday declared capital punishment 'inadmissible' as he marked the World Day Against the Death Penalty, coinciding with the announcement from the United States regarding plans to livestream an execution by firing squad. In a post on X, the Pope referenced the revised Catholic teaching on capital punishment introduced by Pope Francis, stating that the death penalty undermines the inherent dignity of a human being. He emphasized that 'the common good can be safeguarded and the requirements of justice can be met without recourse to capital punishment.' The post concluded with the hashtag #NoDeathPenalty.
The US Defense Department announced on Thursday that the execution of Nidal Malik Hasan, who was convicted for a 2009 shooting at Fort Hood, will be livestreamed. Hasan, scheduled for execution on December 3, was found guilty of killing 13 people and injuring 32 others. President Donald Trump stated he would ultimately decide on the livestreaming of the execution.
While Pope Leo did not specifically mention the planned execution or recent controversies regarding lethal injections in the US, his post came shortly after Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican secretary of state, labeled the planned public execution as 'unacceptable.' In 2018, Pope Francis amended the Catholic Church's stance to declare capital punishment 'inadmissible' in all circumstances, a significant shift from previous teachings that allowed it under certain conditions.
Past popes, including St. John Paul II, had begun advocating for the end of capital punishment, emphasizing the dignity of all individuals, including those who are guilty. Pope Leo has also made prison visits a significant aspect of his papal travels to convey messages of hope and redemption to inmates. During a visit to Bata prison in Equatorial Guinea in April, he reassured inmates of God's unwavering support.
Cardinal Parolin criticized the planned livestreamed execution, calling it 'truly incomprehensible' and 'unacceptable to turn death into a spectacle.' He reiterated the Church's total opposition to the death penalty, stating that it is incompatible with human dignity and does not serve as a deterrent. Archbishop Paul Coakley, head of the US bishops conference, expressed his dismay at the Pentagon's decision, describing it as a 'barbaric promotion of a culture of death' that could further damage the moral fabric of the nation.