Pope Leo has offered the clearest apology yet from a Catholic pontiff for the Church’s historic role in slavery, acknowledging both its delayed condemnation of the practice and its past involvement in legitimising forms of human bondage.

The remarks were made in his first papal encyclical, Magnifica Humanitas (Magnificent Humanity), a wide-ranging document addressing human dignity, artificial intelligence and modern forms of exploitation.

Pope seeks pardon for Church’s past

In a significant passage, Pope Leo described slavery as a “scourge” that took centuries for the Church to fully recognise as incompatible with human dignity.

“For this, in the name of the Church, I sincerely ask for pardon,” he wrote, expressing deep sorrow for the suffering endured by enslaved people throughout history.

The pontiff acknowledged that Church authorities had, at various points, regulated or legitimised systems of subjugation, including the enslavement of non-Christians. He also noted that ecclesiastical institutions themselves owned slaves during parts of the Middle Ages.

Strongest papal admission to date

Pope Leo said the Church only reached a “formal, absolute and universal condemnation” of slavery during the 19th century under Pope Leo XIII.

His comments go further than previous statements by recent popes. While Pope John Paul II sought forgiveness for the role played by Christians in the slave trade, and Pope Francis condemned modern slavery and rejected colonial-era papal documents, neither directly addressed the institutional responsibility of the Church in the same manner.

Encyclical focuses on human dignity

The apology forms part of Pope Leo’s broader message on protecting human dignity in a rapidly changing world.

The encyclical warns against new forms of exploitation linked to artificial intelligence, economic inequality and technological change, urging governments and institutions to place human welfare at the centre of development.

The statement has drawn global attention as one of the most explicit acknowledgements by a pope of the Catholic Church’s historical connection to slavery and its lasting legacy.
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