The Government of Ghana has welcomed Pope Leo XIV’s apology for the Catholic Church’s historic role in slavery, describing the gesture as an important step toward justice, reconciliation, and healing.
In a statement, Ghana said the Pope’s acknowledgment of the Church’s involvement in legitimising slavery and delaying condemnation of the practice for centuries demonstrated “moral courage” and reinforced the global pursuit of truth and human dignity.
The apology was contained in Pope Leo XIV’s first major teaching document of his papacy, titled Magnifica Humanitas (“Magnificent Humanity”), released earlier this week.
In the letter, the Pope admitted that Church authorities had at times legitimised forms of subjugation, including slavery, while acknowledging that ecclesiastical institutions in the Middle Ages also owned slaves.
He described the Church’s historical role as “a wound in Christian memory” and asked for pardon on behalf of the Catholic Church.
Ghana, which served as a major hub during the transatlantic slave trade, said the Pope’s acknowledgment comes at a significant moment as the international community deepens discussions on the lasting impact of slavery and colonialism.
Between the 16th and 19th centuries, millions of Africans were forcibly taken across the Atlantic, with many passing through forts and castles along Ghana’s coast before being shipped to the Americas and the Caribbean.
Government said confronting historical injustices through truth-telling and moral responsibility remains essential to achieving justice and reconciliation.
The development follows Ghana’s successful push at the United Nations in March for the adoption of a resolution recognizing the enslavement of Africans as the “gravest crime against humanity.”
The resolution, backed by the African Union and submitted under the leadership of President John Dramani Mahama, seeks to establish pathways toward reparations, healing, and addressing the enduring effects of slavery, including inequality and racial discrimination.
Ghana is expected to host a major conference in June to discuss next steps following the adoption of the UN resolution.
Human Rights Watch has meanwhile described the Pope’s apology as an important gesture but stressed that apologies alone are insufficient without meaningful reparative justice from institutions and states that benefited from slavery.
