Protection of Life in the Legislation and Teachings of Saint John Paul II

The paper discusses the teachings and legislation of St John Paul II on human life and its legal protection. The Pope’s attitude to abortion, euthanasia and the death penalty was subjected to closer analysis. The author also points out that the legal protection of human life in the teachings and ecclesiastical documents is closely related to the essence of democracy. According to John Paul II, the “moral” value of democracy is not automatic, but depends on conformity to the moral law. In such a society, civil law must ensure that all members of society enjoy respect for certain fundamental rights which innately belong to the person. First and fundamental among these is the inviolable right to life of every human being from the moment of conception.