Pope Leo XIV publicly condemned the death penalty, arguing that executions violate human dignity and that modern prison systems can protect society without permanently depriving offenders of the possibility of redemption.

“The death penalty is inadmissible because it is an attack on the inviolability and dignity of the person,” Leo said in a statement shared alongside the hashtag #NoDeathPenalty.

The pontiff argued that governments can safeguard citizens and enforce the law without resorting to executions. He pointed to secure detention as an alternative that can prevent dangerous criminals from harming others while preserving the possibility of rehabilitation.

“The common good can be safeguarded, and the requirements of justice can be met without recourse to capital punishment,” Leo said.

His position reflects the Catholic Church’s formal opposition to capital punishment. In 2018, the Vatican revised the Catechism of the Catholic Church to describe the death penalty as “inadmissible” because it attacks human dignity, while calling for its worldwide abolition.

The issue remains a point of debate in the United States, where capital punishment remains legal under certain state, federal and military laws. Supporters argue that the death penalty can provide justice for victims of particularly heinous crimes and serve as a proportionate punishment. Opponents cite the risk of wrongful convictions, concerns about unequal application and moral objections to the state taking a person's life.

Leo's remarks underscore the Church's position that human dignity remains important even when a person has been convicted of a serious crime. The Church's opposition to executions does not eliminate the need to protect the public or hold offenders accountable, but maintains that those goals can be achieved without capital punishment.