Pope Leo XIV has issued a historic apology for the Catholic Church’s past role in legitimizing slavery, describing it as a deep “wound in Christian memory” and acknowledging centuries of failure to condemn the practice.
The apology was contained in his first encyclical titled “Magnifica Humanitas”, where the pontiff addressed both historical injustices and modern forms of exploitation linked to technological and digital systems.
He noted that past papal decrees during the 15th century had contributed to the justification of slavery by granting European monarchs authority to subjugate and enslave non-Christians, a legacy that shaped colonial-era exploitation.
Pope Leo said it took the Church nearly eighteen centuries to fully recognise the incompatibility of slavery with Christian doctrine, expressing sorrow over the suffering caused and formally asking for forgiveness on behalf of the Church.
He also linked historical slavery to modern concerns, warning that emerging forms of digital and economic exploitation risk repeating similar abuses of human dignity if not addressed.
The encyclical acknowledged that while later Church teachings condemned slavery, earlier papal bulls were used to justify colonial expansion and human subjugation, a history the Vatican has increasingly sought to confront in recent years.
Scholars and Catholic commentators have described the apology as a significant and symbolic step toward truth-telling and reconciliation, particularly for descendants of enslaved people.
However, some observers argue that further clarification and deeper institutional accountability may still be needed regarding the Church’s historical involvement in slavery.
