Pope Leo XIV issued an apology Monday morning for the Holy See’s involvement in legitimizing enslavement.
In his public apology, the pope called the Vatican’s failure to condemn enslavement a “wound in Christian memory.” He is now considered to be the first pope to apologize for the role popes themselves have had in the trans-Atlantic slave trade.
In his manifesto, Leo addressed the current forms of enslavement and colonialism through unregulated labor pushed by tech companies, specifically AI companies. Through addressing the current era, the pope apologized for the past, listening to the demands made by Black American Catholics, scholars, and activists for the church to acknowledge its own role.
In the 15th century, members of the Vatican gave permission to Portuguese leaders to conquer the Americas and Africa and enslave all non-Christians “in the name of Christ,” allowing them to “reduce persons to perpetual slavery.”
In the history of the Vatican, Pope Leo XIII was the first pope to condemn enslavement. In 2023, the institution condemned the Doctrine of Discovery, the decree that gave European powers permission to conquer land not inhabited by Christians. They did not, however, rescind or reject the papal bull.
“It is impossible not to feel deep sorrow when contemplating the immense suffering and humiliation endured by so many in stark contrast to their immeasurable dignity as persons infinitely loved by the Lord,” wrote Pope Leo in his latest manifesto. “For this, in the name of the church, I sincerely ask for pardon.”
Along with the formal apology for the church’s role in enslavement, Pope Leo’s text, titled “Magnifica Humanitas,” focused on AI as its main theme.
Reportedly in the works since his election, the 43,000-word manifesto called on the world to address the risks of AI. The pope linked the new technology with a rise in misinformation and claimed that it played a role in creating conflict as well as perpetuating wars. He drew parallels between AI companies and the Tower of Babel.
To address the risks, he called for AI data to be kept out of the hands of private entities alone. He also called for the creation of more laws to protect workers and children from AI.
Through the “Magnifica Humanitas,” Pope Leo further condemned the ongoing global wars. He rejected the ‘just war theory,’ calling it “outdated” and claiming that it was “used too often to justify any kind of war.” The Trump administration has previously invoked this doctrine in the Iran war.
In his work, Pope Leo also expressed concern that leaders are initiating wars as a distraction from domestic issues.
“The past 60 years have been marked by conflicts of astonishing brutality, often affecting civilian populations on a massive scale,” wrote the pope. “Humanity is slipping into a violent culture of power, where peace no longer appears as a responsibility to be taken on, but as a fragile interval between conflicts.”
