Pope Leo XIV has been criticised for condemning the death penalty days after the US announced it would livestream the firing squad execution of a Muslim terrorist.
The American-born pontiff made the statement in a post on X on Saturday, which was World Day Against the Death Penalty, in which he said capital punishment was “inadmissible because it is an attack on the inviolability and dignity of the person”.
“The common good can be safeguarded and the requirements of justice can be met without recourse to capital punishment: effective systems of detention have been developed that protect citizens while at the same time do not completely deprive those who are guilty of the possibility of redemption,” he wrote, and ended the post with the hashtag #NoDeathPenalty.
The death penalty is inadmissible because it is an attack on the inviolability and dignity of the person. The common good can be safeguarded and the requirements of justice can be met without recourse to capital punishment: effective systems of detention have been developed that protect citizens while at the same time do not completely deprive those who are guilty of the possibility of redemption. #NoDeathPenalty
— Pope Leo XIV (@Pontifex) October 10, 2026
The US Defence Department announced on Thursday it would publicly broadcast the execution of traitorous former US Army Nidal Malik Hasan, who killed 13 people and wounded 32 others in an attack at military base Fort Hood in 2009, sparking criticism from the Vatican, which called it “unacceptable”.
Leo’s left-wing predecessor, Pope Francis, amended official Catholic teaching on capital punishment in 2018 to declare that it was “inadmissible” in all circumstances, whereas it was previously sanctioned if it was “the only possible way of effectively defending human lives against the unjust aggressor”.
The post sparked widespread anger from Catholics and other Christians on social media, with many arguing the Leo’s position was inconsistent with scripture, tradition and historical precedent.
Kevin DeAnna, host of American Renaissance’s popular Identity Politics podcast, responded by sharing a photo of the robes and axe of official Papal executioner Giovanni Battista Bugatti, who executed 516 people while serving under six popes between 1796 and 1865.
“Either all the popes until about sixty years ago were heretics or true Catholicism was invented in 1965, with its main doctrine the celebration of the “human dignity” of murderers, migrants, and everyone else who makes life worse. Both can’t be right,” he wrote on X.
Either all the popes until about sixty years ago were heretics or true Catholicism was invented in 1965, with its main doctrine the celebration of the “human dignity” of murderers, migrants, and everyone else who makes life worse.
Both can’t be right. https://t.co/QiLE4RomNF
— Kevin DeAnna (@VDAREJamesK) October 10, 2026
This is totally contrary to sacred Scripture and Tradition
Almighty God mandates the death penalty for murderers who lose their right to life when they take the life of an innocent person
When a murderer murders, he or she also kills themselves
Genesis 9:6: “Whoever sheds human blood, by humans shall their blood be shed; for in the image of God has God made mankind.”
Romans 13:4: “For he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer.”
Countless pope and saints have upheld God’s revelation that murderers must be put to death for their crimes.
A pope cannot contradict divine revelation
— Deacon Nick Donnelly (@ProtecttheFaith) October 10, 2026
The father of the church has the same views as an atheist leftist lesbian on the death penalty https://t.co/ypsmuPCpMq
— Kaguya’s Top Gal (@hayasaka_aryan) October 10, 2026
“The father of the church has the same views as an atheist leftist lesbian on the death penalty,” read another popular post.
“This is totally contrary to sacred Scripture and Tradition,” wrote Deacon Nick Donnelly.
“Almighty God mandates the death penalty for murderers who lose their right to life when they take the life of an innocent person. When a murderer murders, he or she also kills themselves.
“Genesis 9:6: ‘Whoever sheds human blood, by humans shall their blood be shed; for in the image of God has God made mankind.’ Romans 13:4: ‘For he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer.’
“Countless pope and saints have upheld God’s revelation that murderers must be put to death for their crimes. A pope cannot contradict divine revelation.”
Leo, who is part-black, has previously been labelled “woke” for his political stances on mass immigration and refugees, gun control, and racism, and for calling the concept of a “just war” outdated, although he opposes abortion and homosexuality.
Header image: Left, Pope Leo (Edgar Beltrán, The Pillar, CC BY-SA 4.0). Right, the robes and axe of Giovanni Battista Bugatti (Reddit).
