Pope Leo XIV renewed his criticism of the death penalty on Saturday, calling it an “attack” on human dignity, in response to recent developments surrounding the planned execution of Nidal Malik Hasan, the convicted Fort Hood shooter. The pope’s remarks came one day after senior Vatican officials condemned the U.S. Defense Department’s decision to live-stream Hasan’s execution, scheduled for December 3, marking the first known U.S. military firing squad execution since 1945.

Hasan, a former U.S. Army psychiatrist, was convicted for the 2009 shooting at Fort Hood, Texas, which resulted in 13 deaths and 32 injuries. The announcement by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth that the execution would be publicly streamed was unprecedented. President Donald Trump confirmed he personally authorized the live broadcast, prompting strong reactions from Catholic leaders.

Writing on the social media platform X, Pope Leo XIV described capital punishment as “inadmissible” and stated that justice and the common good could be upheld without resorting to the death penalty, concluding his statement with the hashtag #NoDeathPenalty. Although he did not directly mention the United States or Hasan, his remarks coincided with widespread opposition among Church figures.

Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican’s secretary of state, publicly criticized the Pentagon’s decision the previous day, saying it was “unacceptable to turn death into a spectacle.” Similarly, Archbishop Paul Coakley, head of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, condemned the planned live stream as “a barbaric promotion of a culture of death,” warning it would undermine the nation’s moral fabric and stain the conscience of its people.

The debate over capital punishment in the United States has intensified recently, notably following a botched execution in Tennessee involving Christa Pike, who survived two doses of the lethal drug pentobarbital. Pike’s case and the planned public broadcast of Hasan’s execution have drawn renewed scrutiny and criticism from opponents of the death penalty.

Pope Leo XIV has maintained a consistent stance against capital punishment since becoming pope last year, reinforcing and expanding upon the Church’s opposition, particularly under Pope Francis. He has also challenged individuals in the United States who identify as “pro-life” but support the death penalty, asserting that such a position is inconsistent.

The pope’s approach has been to issue broad moral statements on contentious issues, while allowing senior Church officials to address specific U.S. policies more directly. This strategy has been evident in the current discussion surrounding the military execution and its public broadcast, with Vatican and U.S. Catholic leaders voicing pointed objections amid a national context charged with debate over justice and human dignity.