Pope Leo XIV recalls 'great suffering' at historic slave trade shrine in Angola
Summary
Pope Leo XIV visited a Catholic shrine in Angola that was once a center for the trans-Atlantic slave trade. He acknowledged the long history of pain and suffering suffered by Africans during that time while praying at the site.Key Facts
- The shrine is called the Sanctuary of Mama Muxima and is located near the Kwanza River in Angola.
- It was originally built by Portuguese colonizers in the late 1500s and served as a fort and slave trade hub.
- Enslaved Africans were baptized there before being forced to walk over 110 kilometers to Luanda port to be shipped to the Americas.
- Pope Leo XIV prayed the Rosary at the shrine and spoke about the sorrow and suffering experienced by the local people.
- About 30,000 people gathered as the Pope urged building a more just and peaceful world.
- The Catholic Church’s historical role in slavery, including forced baptisms and Vatican documents authorizing slavery, is a subject of ongoing discussion.
- The papal bull Dum Diversas (1452) authorized the Portuguese to enslave non-Christians and take their lands during colonial expansion.
- Some Black Catholics see the Pope’s visit as an important moment for healing related to the church’s history with slavery and colonialism.
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