Pope denounces enslaved Africans’ suffering in Peru

Pope Leo XIV denounced the suffering and humiliation of enslaved Africans during a visit to Zaña, Peru, a UNESCO-recognized site of memory for slavery and a center of Afro-Peruvian culture. His remarks followed his apology for the Holy See’s role in legitimizing the African slave trade in the Americas; Leo, who previously served as bishop of the nearby Diocese of Chiclayo, expressed solidarity with Afro-Peruvians and thanked them for their contributions to the Church. Community representatives called for a Church in which no one is made to feel inferior because of race, history or culture, while Leo also spoke out against discrimination, crime and insecurity affecting local families.