At the General Audience this Wednesday Pope Benedict XVI gave his support to an initiative
to end the death penalty. Speaking in English he said: “I greet the distinguished
delegations from various countries taking part in the meeting promoted by the Community
of Sant’Egidio on the theme: No Justice without Life. I express my hope that
your deliberations will encourage the political and legislative initiatives being
promoted in a growing number of countries to eliminate the death penalty and to continue
the substantive progress made in conforming penal law both to the human dignity of
prisoners and the effective maintenance of public order”.