Pope Leo XIV has made a significant statement regarding the Vatican’s historical role in endorsing slavery. On Monday, the pontiff issued a formal apology for the Church’s prolonged silence and the systems it supported that enabled the enslavement of non-Christians during the colonial period. In his inaugural encyclical, titled *Magnifica Humanitas* (Magnificent Humanity), he described the Church’s belated condemnation of slavery as a “wound in Christian memory” and sought forgiveness on behalf of the institution.

This acknowledgment is unprecedented, as previous popes had only issued apologies related to the actions of Christians involved in the trans-Atlantic slave trade. For the first time, Pope Leo specifically recognised the Vatican’s own responsibility in granting legitimacy to slavery through official papal documents.

The apology represents a critical juncture for the Vatican, which has faced increasing pressure over the years from Black Catholics, historians, and advocates for anti-racism. These groups have urged the Church to confront its historic involvement in colonial-era slavery, rather than offering vague regrets about general human suffering.

Vatican’s Historical Role Under Review

Pope Leo’s apology highlights a deeply troubling aspect of Church history, particularly when Vatican-endorsed decrees were utilised to rationalise colonial expansion and subjugate non-Christian populations in Africa and the Americas. One notable instance occurred in 1452, when Pope Nicholas V granted Portugal the papal bull *Dum Diversas*, which allowed the invasion, conquest, and enslavement of non-Christian groups.

This decree eventually contributed to what became known as the “Doctrine of Discovery,” a theological and legal justification used by European empires for colonial activities. Despite the Vatican’s rejection of this doctrine in 2023, critics assert that the Church has not adequately addressed the original decrees or the extensive damage they inflicted over the centuries.

Pope Leo directly acknowledged this reality in his encyclical, stating that the Apostolic See of Rome intervened multiple times during the early modern period to regulate and legitimise forms of domination. He remarked on the Church’s delayed recognition of slavery as fundamentally incompatible with Christian principles, noting that it took eighteen centuries for this incompatibility to be explicitly recognised.

Apology Linked to Modern Exploitation Issues

The apology was framed not just as a historical reflection, but also as a part of a broader cautionary message regarding contemporary forms of exploitation linked to artificial intelligence and digital technology. In his encyclical, Pope Leo expressed concern over labour exploitation, surveillance capitalism, and the global competition for rare minerals required in AI chip production.

He cautioned that society risks falling into familiar patterns of exploitation if governments and corporations do not act responsibly. The pontiff warned that future generations might once again call for apologies from institutions that prioritise profit and technological advancement over human dignity.

Pope Leo asserted that the Church must actively oppose new forms of trafficking and exploitation arising from the digital revolution, urging preventative measures to avoid the necessity of future reconciliations. This comparison between historical slavery and modern economic oppression underscored the importance of the apology, especially in light of ongoing global discussions surrounding AI ethics, labour rights, and mineral extraction practices.

The remarks resonated on a personal level for the pope. According to genealogical analysis previously conducted by historian Henry Louis Gates Jr., Pope Leo’s own family history includes both enslaved individuals and slaveholders, with some ancestors documented as Black, Creole, or free people of colour.

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