In a landmark moment for the Catholic Church, Pope Leo XIV has issued a historic apology for the Vatican’s role in legitimizing slavery. According to Washington Times, the apology came in the pope’s first major encyclical, Magnifica Humanitas, where he described slavery as “a wound in Christian memory” and asked for forgiveness on behalf of the Church.
Leo acknowledged that past Church authorities had, at times, authorized or legitimized forms of enslavement, including the subjugation of non-Christians. The U.S.-born pontiff also noted that the Church took centuries to fully and universally condemn slavery.
The apology was linked to his broader warning about modern forms of exploitation, including labor abuses and ethical concerns surrounding artificial intelligence. Scholars and activists have hailed the statement as a significant step toward historical reckoning.
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