Pope Francis visited the Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in Ouidah, Benin, on November 20, 2021, during his apostolic journey to the country. The historic church is located near the 'Door of No Return,' a memorial to the enslaved Africans forced onto ships for the Americas.
The visit was part of a trip focused on reconciliation and hope. In his homily, the Pope spoke of the church as a place where 'the tears of the African people, caused by the suffering of slavery, were transformed into hope.' He did not directly address his own Argentine-Italian heritage in the context of colonial history during this event.
Ouidah was a major Portuguese slave port from the 17th to 19th centuries. The Pope's itinerary highlighted the Catholic Church's complex role in the era of the slave trade, balancing its historical complicity with its modern efforts toward healing and interreligious dialogue.
