Pope Leo has delivered the most explicit papal apology to date for the Catholic Church’s historical involvement in slavery, acknowledging both the institution’s role in legitimizing forms of enslavement and its centuries-long delay in fully condemning the practice.
Writing in his first papal encyclical, Magnifica Humanitas (“Magnificent Humanity”), the pontiff expressed “deep sorrow” for the suffering endured by enslaved people and formally asked forgiveness on behalf of the Church.
“For this, in the name of the Church, I sincerely ask for pardon,” Leo wrote, describing the legacy of slavery as “a wound in Christian memory.”
Acknowledging a Troubled Legacy
In the document, Pope Leo said the Church took centuries to recognize that slavery was fundamentally incompatible with human dignity.
He acknowledged that Church authorities had, at various points in history, responded to political rulers by regulating and legitimizing forms of subjugation, including the enslavement of non-Christians. The pope also noted that ecclesiastical institutions themselves owned slaves during the Middle Ages.
According to Leo, the Catholic Church only arrived at a “formal, absolute and universal condemnation” of slavery in the 19th century under Pope Leo XIII, following what he described as a prolonged period of inconsistency in both teaching and practice.
Going Beyond Previous Papal Statements
The remarks mark a significant shift in how the Vatican addresses its historical connection to slavery.
Previous popes had acknowledged the suffering caused by the slave trade and condemned modern forms of slavery, but generally focused responsibility on individual Christians or historical circumstances rather than directly addressing the institutional role of the Church.
During a visit to Africa in 1985, Pope John Paul II asked forgiveness from Africans for the suffering inflicted by “men belonging to Christian nations” involved in the slave trade.
More recently, Pope Francis denounced contemporary slavery and formally repudiated several 15th-century papal documents that colonial powers had used to justify expansion and exploitation, including practices linked to slavery. However, those statements stopped short of directly attributing responsibility to the papacy itself.
Pope Leo’s latest comments go further, openly acknowledging institutional failures and the Church’s historic involvement in legitimizing slavery.
First Encyclical Addresses Modern Challenges
The apology appears in Magnifica Humanitas, Leo’s debut encyclical, a broad manifesto examining the ethical implications of artificial intelligence and warning against new forms of exploitation emerging within the global economy.
By linking historical injustices with contemporary concerns, the pope argues that human dignity must remain at the center of social, technological and economic development.
Personal Historical Connection
The publication comes after genealogical research released following Leo’s election last year revealed that the first U.S.-born pope has a diverse family history that includes both enslaved individuals and slaveholders.
While the encyclical focuses on the Church’s collective responsibility rather than personal ancestry, the findings add a notable dimension to a papacy that has already signaled a willingness to confront difficult chapters of history.
