Pope's Visit to Zaña Highlights Afro-Peruvian Heritage and Apology for Slavery
Pope Leo XIV's visit to Zaña, Peru, has brought international attention to the Afro-Peruvian community and the legacy of slavery in the region, as the pontiff delivers a historic apology for the role of the Catholic…
Pope Leo XIV denounced the 'suffering and humiliation' endured by African enslaved people in a speech delivered in Zaña, a UNESCO-recognized memorial site of slavery and a center of the Afro-Peruvian community (Source ID: 1). The U.S.-born Leo, whose family tree includes both enslaved people and slave owners, emphasized the need to remember the African heritage that shaped Peru's history. He expressed his 'affection and closeness' to the Afro-Peruvian community during his remarks in the northern Peruvian city, acknowledging the historical and cultural significance of Zaña in preserving the memory of generations of enslaved Africans. [1]
During his visit, Pope Leo XIV is expected to lead a prayer meeting at the sanctuary of St. Turibius of Mogrovejo in Zaña, where he previously prayed as bishop of nearby Chiclayo (Source ID: 1). Mogrovejo, the first archbishop of Lima, was known for defending the rights of Indigenous and enslaved people and for confirming St. Martin de Porres, the first Black saint of the Americas. The visit coincides with the 2017 UNESCO recognition of Zaña as a 'site of memory of slavery and African cultural heritage,' highlighting its role as a hub of Afro-Peruvian culture and history. [1]
The estimated 100,000 African slaves brought to Peru after the arrival of Spanish conquistadores toiled in sugar plantations and silver mines, with some becoming urban artisans (Source ID: 1). At one point, they and their descendants were more than 40% of Lima’s population. However, today, Afro-Peruvians are a small fraction of Peru's population and have historically faced discrimination. Alejandro Frigerio, a researcher at the National Council for Scientific Research of Argentina, noted that while Peru has made strides in institutional recognition of the Afro-Peruvian community, the primary challenge remains ensuring equitable access to rights and eradicating both everyday and institutional racism. [1]
Pope Leo XIV denounced the 'suffering and humiliation' endured by African enslaved people in a speech delivered in Zaña, a UNESCO-recognized memorial site of slavery and a center of the Afro-Peruvian community (Source ID: 1). During his visit, Pope Leo XIV is expected to lead a prayer meeting at the sanctuary of St. Turibius of Mogrovejo in Zaña, where he often went to pray while bishop of nearby Chiclayo (Source ID: 1). [1]
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The estimated 100,000 African slaves brought to Peru after the arrival of Spanish conquistadores toiled in sugar plantations and silver mines, with some becoming urban artisans (Source ID: 1). At one point, they and their descendants were more than 40% of Lima’s population (Source ID: 1). [1]
Zaña, a historic town in northern Peru's Chiclayo province, was recognized by UNESCO in 2017 as a 'site of memory of slavery and African cultural heritage' (Source ID: 1). Peru's government says the recognition was the first of its kind granted to a Peruvian Afro-descendant community or comparable communities along South America's Pacific Coast (Source ID: 1). [1]
Pope Leo XIV denounced the 'suffering and humiliation' endured by African enslaved people in a speech delivered in Zaña, a UNESCO-recognized memorial site of slavery and a center of the Afro-Peruvian community (Source ID: 1). During his visit, Pope Leo XIV is expected to lead a prayer meeting at the sanctuary of St. Turibius of Mogrovejo in Zaña, where he often went to pray while bishop of nearby Chiclayo (Source ID: 1). [1]
The estimated 100,000 African slaves brought to Peru after the arrival of Spanish conquistadores toiled in sugar plantations and silver mines, with some becoming urban artisans (Source ID: 1). At one point, they and their descendants were more than 40% of Lima’s population. However, today, Afro-Peruvians are a small fraction of Peru's 35 million people (Source ID: 1). [1]
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Zaña, a historic town in northern Peru's Chiclayo province, was recognized by UNESCO in 2017 as a 'site of memory of slavery and African cultural heritage' (Source ID: 1). The town is home to an Afro-Peruvian museum, which features a rich collection of historical photographs, plantation carts and percussion musical instruments of African origin from Peru, Cuba and Brazil (Source ID: 1). [1]
Pope Leo XIV denounced the 'suffering and humiliation' endured by African enslaved people in a speech delivered in Zaña, a UNESCO-recognized memorial site of slavery and a center of the Afro-Peruvian community (Source ID: 1). During his visit, Pope Leo XIV is expected to lead a prayer meeting at the sanctuary of St. Turibius of Mogrovejo in Zaña, where he often went to pray while bishop of nearby Chiclayo (Source ID: 1). [1]
The estimated 100,000 African slaves brought to Peru after the arrival of Spanish conquistadores toiled in sugar plantations and silver mines, with some becoming urban artisans (Source ID: 1). At one point, they and their descendants were more than 40% of Lima’s population. Blacks now are a small fraction of Peru's 35 million people. But they have struggled to advance in the more than 170 years since emancipation (Source ID: 1). [1]
Zaña, a historic town in northern Peru's Chiclayo province, was recognized by UNESCO in 2017 as a 'site of memory of slavery and African cultural heritage' (Source ID: 1). The recognition was the first of its kind granted to a Peruvian Afro-descendant community or comparable communities along South America's Pacific Coast (Source ID: 1). [1]
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