Pope Francis Urges U.S. Death Row Sentence Commutes

Pope Francis appealed for U.S. authorities to commute the sentences of death row prisoners during his Sunday prayer at St. Peter's Square. As a staunch opponent of the death penalty, he urged prayers for those on death row. The U.S. currently has approximately 2,250 death row inmates.

Pope Francis made an impassioned plea on Sunday, urging U.S. authorities to consider commuting the sentences of those on death row.

During his weekly prayer at St. Peter's Square, he called on the faithful to pray for these prisoners, highlighting his strong opposition to capital punishment.

While Francis has updated the Church's stance on the issue, he typically avoids singling out countries. The U.S. has about 2,250 inmates on death row, according to the Death Penalty Information Center. Some Catholic groups have petitioned President Biden to act.

(With inputs from agencies.)