“I sincerely ask for forgiveness”: Pope Leo XIV. apologizes for the Catholic Church’s role in slavery | Today’s news
Pope Leo XIV on Monday (May 25) issued one of the strongest admissions ever made by a pope regarding the Catholic Church’s historic role in slavery, apologizing for centuries of delay in condemning the practice and admitting that church authorities helped legitimize forms of enslavement.
In his first encyclical, Magnifica Humanitas (“Magnificent Humanity”), Pope Leo described slavery as a “wound in Christian memory” and formally asked for forgiveness on behalf of the Church.
“For this, in the name of the Church, I sincerely ask for forgiveness,” wrote Pope Leo.
The apology was included in a broader document focused primarily on the ethical dangers of artificial intelligence, war and economic exploitation.
What Pope Leo XIV said
Pope Leo acknowledged that church institutions themselves had once owned slaves and that Vatican authorities had historically responded to the requests of rulers by regulating and legitimizing forms of subjugation.
“In the early modern period, the Roman Apostolic See, in response to the requests of sovereigns, intervened several times to regulate and legitimize forms of subjugation and, in certain cases, enslavement of ‘infidels,'” he wrote.
The Pope also admitted that it took centuries for the Church to develop a clear and universal rejection of slavery.
“It was not until the 19th century that a formal, absolute and universal condemnation of slavery was clearly articulated,” he said.
Pope Leo emphasized that while historical events should not be judged entirely by modern standards, the church’s belated response cannot be ignored.
“It is true that past events cannot be judged anachronistically,” he wrote. “Yet neither can we deny or shorten the delay with which both society and church came to condemn the scourge of slavery.”
‘A Wound in Christian Memory’
One of the most striking passages of the encyclical described slavery as a permanent moral burden for the Church.
“It is true that past events cannot be judged anachronistically, as if the moral criteria that matured over time were always available. But neither can we deny or shorten the delay with which society and the Church came to condemn the scourge of slavery.”
“This represents a wound in the Christian memory from which we cannot consider ourselves detached,” the Pope wrote.
The remarks are seen as the clearest papal admission yet of institutional responsibility by the Vatican itself, rather than simply blaming individual Christians or historical societies.
How it differs from previous popes
Previous popes have addressed slavery and colonial abuses, but have generally stopped short of directly acknowledging the Vatican’s own institutional role.
Pope John Paul II during a visit to Africa in 1985, he asked for forgiveness for the suffering caused by “men belonging to Christian nations” involved in the slave trade.
Meanwhile, Pope Francis condemned modern slavery and formally repudiated several 15th-century papal decrees used by colonial powers to justify conquest and enslavement.
However, these statements largely framed responsibility around Christians, colonial governments, or historical circumstances, rather than directly acknowledging Vatican involvement.
Leo’s comments went even further by explicitly referring to steps being taken by the Apostolic See itself and the Church’s institutions.
Why an apology matters
Leo’s apology is significant because:
-Publicly acknowledges the complicity of institutions
-Recognizes delays in moral learning
-Connects historical injustice with contemporary ethical debates
It signals a broader push for transparency under the new papacy
The apology also fits into Leo’s larger message in Magnifica Humanitas, where he warns that humanity risks repeating forms of exploitation through emerging technologies.
Use of AI
Although much of the encyclical focused on artificial intelligence, Leo repeatedly linked historical wrongs to modern technological and economic power structures.
He warned against systems that treat people as expendable and urged global leaders to ensure that technological development serves human dignity rather than profit or domination.
Read also | Pope Leo XIV says it is “not admissible” for artificial intelligence to make deadly decisions
