Vatican City: Ahead of the 12th World Day of Prayer and Awareness against Human Trafficking, Pope Leo XIV issued a powerful message condemning modern slavery as a “grave crime against humanity”, reaffirming the Catholic Church’s unwavering commitment to combat this scourge in all its forms.
In his message, released on the eve of the World Day, which falls on Sunday, February 8, the Pope denounced the exploitation of human beings as a global injustice that continues to thrive in both physical and digital spaces. He emphasized that the Risen Christ’s greeting, “Peace be with you,” offers humanity a pathway toward restoration and renewed dignity.
“True peace begins with the recognition and protection of the God-given dignity of every person,” Pope Leo said, lamenting that in today’s world, escalating violence often tempts people to seek security through weapons and domination. He noted that human beings are frequently treated as collateral damage in conflicts, sacrificed to political or economic ambitions.
The Pope highlighted that the same disregard for human life fuels human trafficking. Armed conflict, instability, and displacement create opportunities for traffickers to exploit vulnerable populations, with women and children disproportionately affected.
Pope Leo also addressed the disturbing emergence of “cyber slavery,” in which individuals are lured online into coercive schemes, including drug trafficking, fraud, and other criminal enterprises. “Victims are forced to become perpetrators, deepening their spiritual and emotional wounds,” he said, stressing that such abuses are not isolated incidents, but symptoms of a culture that has forgotten Christ’s model of love and care for every human being.
In response to these challenges, the Pope called on Christians to engage in prayer and awareness, describing prayer as a “small flame” that sustains courage and moral strength, while awareness enables communities to identify and dismantle exploitative systems, both in real life and online.
“Overcoming the violence of human trafficking requires a renewed vision that sees every person as a beloved child of God,” Pope Leo affirmed. He expressed gratitude to the countless individuals and networks that assist victims, including survivors who have turned their experiences into a mission of hope and service.
Concluding his message, the Pope entrusted the World Day of Prayer and Awareness against Human Trafficking to St. Josephine Bakhita, whose life of resilience and faith serves as a “powerful witness of hope in the Lord who loved her to the end.” He called on the global community to strive for a vision of peace that is **“unarmed and disarming,” rooted in full respect for the dignity of every human being, and not merely the absence of war.”
Pope Leo XIV’s message serves as a clarion call to nations, faith communities, and individuals to renew their efforts to eradicate human trafficking, protect the vulnerable, and build a world where every person is recognized and cherished as a child of God.