Pope Leo presented the first encyclical apologizing for the Church's historic stance on slavery

The Vatican has unveiled Pope Leo’s first encyclical, titled «The Divine Humanity» (Θαυμαστή Ανθρωπότητα), in which the Pontiff officially recognized the Roman Catholic Church’s belated condemnation of slavery. According to the Greek publication Orthodoxia.info, the document contains an in-depth analysis of the Church’s centuries-old policy of exploitation and systems of subjugation of populations.

The text of the encyclical notes that over the centuries, the Catholic Church has only occasionally intervened in the regulation of slavery, often acting at the request of political leaders. Pope Leo emphasized that a full and unequivocal condemnation of this phenomenon was formulated too late. In this regard, the Pontiff expressed official regret and apologized for the historical position taken by the Vatican with regard to the enslavement of those who were called «infidels» in the past.

The document emphasizes the continuity between historical exploitation and contemporary challenges. Pope Leo warns of the emergence of new forms of dependency developing in the digital economy and global technological transition. According to the text of the encyclical, the modern economic system and the digital environment create the conditions for new types of human subjugation, which requires a reconsideration of the mechanisms for the defense of human dignity.

Concluding the document, the Pontiff called on the world community to strengthen the struggle for the dignity of the individual, emphasizing that the historical lesson of slavery should serve as a warning against any form of modern tyranny.