Pope Leo XIV makes historic apology for Holy See's own role in legitimizing slavery
Pope Leo XIV has issued a historic apology for the Holy See's role in legitimizing slavery, acknowledging the Vatican's failure to condemn it for centuries. This apology marks the first time a pope has publicly recognized the Church's complicity in the trans-Atlantic slave trade. In his encyclical, he also connected historical injustices to modern forms of exploitation related to artificial intelligence.
- ▪Pope Leo XIV called the Vatican's record on slavery a 'wound in Christian memory.'
- ▪He delivered the apology in his first encyclical, 'Magnifica Humanitas.'
- ▪The encyclical addresses the need to safeguard humanity amid the digital revolution.
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ABC NewsLiveVideoShowsGood Morning AmericaShopGMAInterest Successfully AddedWe'll notify you here with news aboutTurn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? OffOnStream onPope Leo XIV makes historic apology for Holy See's own role in legitimizing slaveryPope Leo XIV has made a historic apology for the role the Holy See itself played in legitimizing slaveryByNICOLE WINFIELD Associated Press and PAOLO SANTALUCIA Associated PressMay 25, 2026, 5:31 AM1:12Pope Leo XIV holds the pastoral staff as he celebrates the Pentecost Mass in St. Peter's Basilica, at the Vatican, Sunday, May 24, 2026.
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