Pope Leo XIV denounces suffering of enslaved Africans during Peru visit

Pope denounces slavery in Zaña

Pope Leo XIV on Saturday denounced the “suffering and humiliation” endured by African enslaved people during a visit to Zaña, Peru, a UNESCO-recognized memorial site for slavery and a center of the Afro-Peruvian community.

In remarks to the community, Leo said Zaña “preserves the memory of generations of Africans who were torn from their homes and subjected to slavery.”

“Many endured great suffering and humiliation. Dear brothers and sisters of African descent, today I want to express my affection and closeness to you,” he said.

Apology for past popes

In his first encyclical, “Magnificent Humanity,” Leo made a sweeping apology for the role of past popes in legitimizing slavery in the Americas and failing to condemn it for centuries. It was a reference to the series of 15th-century directives from the Vatican that authorized European sovereigns to conquer Africa and the Americas and enslave non-Christians.

“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,” Leo wrote. “For this, in the name of the church, I sincerely ask for pardon.”

Community context

The estimated 100,000 African slaves brought to Peru after the arrival of Spanish conquistadores toiled in sugar plantations and silver mines, with some becoming urban artisans. At one point, they and their descendants were more than 40% of Lima’s population.

Blacks now are a small fraction of Peru’s 35 million people. But they have struggled to advance in the more than 170 years since emancipation.

The 2017 national census recorded 1,311 Zaña residents who identified as Afro-Peruvian, compared with 78,639 across the entire Lambayeque region.

Why it matters

The visit highlights the continued discrimination that Afro-Peruvians face today and the pope’s personal connection to the community through his family history and former diocese of Chiclayo.

Sources

• ctvnews.ca: Pope denounces slavery during visit to Peru
• chicagotribune.com: Pope denounces ‘suffering and humiliation’ of African enslaved people

This article was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Company claims are reported as claims. Cover image is AI-generated.