Pope Leo XIV visited Angola’s historic Sanctuary of Mama Muxima, a revered pilgrimage site with deep ties to the transatlantic slave trade. Between the 16th and 19th centuries, over 5 million Angolans were forcibly baptized here before being shipped to the Americas—accounting for nearly half of all enslaved Africans. During the visit, Leo, whose own ancestry includes both enslaved people and slaveholders, prayed the Rosary and spoke of the “sorrow and great suffering” that Angolans experienced over centuries. However, while the pope urged unity, justice, and peace, he stopped short of explicitly addressing slavery or the papal bulls that authorized it. Nevertheless, Leo’s visit to the shrine has sparked renewed conversations about accountability and healing, especially among Black Catholics.
AP
