Pope Leo visits Angola's colonial-era slave trade site, now a Marian pilgrimage hub
Original framing: “Pope Leo prays at Catholic shrine in Angola that was a centre of African slave trade” — South China Morning Post
The original framing omits the role of the Catholic Church in legitimizing and facilitating the slave trade in Angola. It also neglects the perspectives of Angolan communities, the historical context of Portuguese colonialism, and the resilience of local traditions that predate European influence.
High structural omission detected in mainstream coverage.
The narrative is produced by global media for international audiences, often framing the Church's actions in moral terms while downplaying its structural role in colonial systems. This framing serves to absolve institutions of deeper accountability and obscures the voices of those whose histories were erased by colonial and religious forces.
The Portuguese colonial administration used religious institutions to justify and expand the slave trade in Angola, often under the guise of evangelization. The Catholic Church’s involvement in this system was not incidental but central to the economic and cultural exploitation of the region.
The Pope’s visit to the Sanctuary of Mama Muxima in Angola must be understood within the broader context of the Church’s historical complicity in the transatlantic slave trade and Portuguese colonialism.