Pope Francis Seeks Ban on Executions During ​‘Year of Mercy,’ Renews Call for Abolition of Death Penalty

In an address at the Vatican on February 21, Pope Francis (pictured) broadened his call for a global end to capital punishment and urged Catholic leaders around the world to take action to halt all executions during the Church’s ongoing “Holy Year of Mercy.” The pontiff’s address was a prelude to a two-day international conference, “A World Without the Death Penalty,” hosted in Rome by the Community of Sant’Egidio, a Catholic organization that opposes capital punishment. Francis said, “The commandment ‘You shall not kill’ has absolute value, and covers both the innocent and the guilty. … [E]ven the criminal keeps the inviolable right to life, a gift from God.” The Pope linked his call to action to the Holy Year of Mercy, which began on December 8, 2015, and encourages Catholics to show mercy in every aspect of their lives. “I appeal to the conscience of the rulers, so that we achieve an international consensus for the abolition of the death penalty,” Francis said. “And I propose to those among them who are Catholics to make a courageous and exemplary gesture that no sentence is executed in this Holy Year of Mercy.” Pope Francis has previously urged world leaders to end the death penalty, including a strong statement in his address to a joint session of the U.S. Congress in 2015. Prior pontiffs have also expressed the Catholic Church’s opposition to capital punishment. In 2000, Pope John Paul II advocated worldwide abolition of the death penalty, which he called “an unworthy punishment.”

(I. San Martín, “The pope wants a death penalty ban during his year of mercy,” Crux, February 21, 2016.) See Religion.