Pope Francis Issues Historic Apology for Vatican's Role in Authorizing Slavery

Pope Francis has issued a historic apology, acknowledging the direct role of the Holy See in authorizing the enslavement of non-Christians. While previous papal statements had addressed Christians' participation in the slave trade, Francis is the first pontiff to openly admit that papal decrees themselves granted European rulers the authority to subjugate and enslave people deemed "infidels."

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Previous pontiffs had already apologized for the participation of Christians in the slave trade, but no pope had ever openly acknowledged the role of the Holy See in authorizing the subjugation and enslavement of non-Christians through earlier papal decrees.

The apology addresses a series of papal bulls, beginning in the 15th century, that granted rights of conquest, subjugation, and enslavement to Portuguese and later Spanish rulers. Key among these were Pope Nicholas V's "Dum Diversas" in 1452 and Pope Callixtus III's "Romanus Pontifex" in 1455, which were renewed by subsequent popes, including Pope Sixtus IV in 1481 and Pope Leo X in 1514. Similar rights were extended to Spanish rulers concerning territories in the Americas.

Although the Vatican officially rejected the "Doctrine of Discovery" in 2023, the specific bulls that authorized enslavement have not been formally revoked. The Holy See does, however, reference the 1537 bull "Sublimus Dei," issued by Pope Paul III, which prohibited the enslavement of indigenous peoples in the Americas.

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The Holy See had, on multiple occasions, legitimized forms of subjugation, including slavery.

Pope Francis also noted that Pope Leo XIII was the first to explicitly condemn slavery in 1888, indicating a long period where the Church did not actively oppose the institution. Francis emphasized that while past decisions should not be judged by modern moral standards, the Church's eventual condemnation of slavery was indeed late. He acknowledged that the Holy See had, on multiple occasions, legitimized forms of subjugation, including slavery.

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Past decisions cannot be judged by today's moral standards, but it cannot be denied that the Church was late in condemning the institution of slavery.