The Archbishop of Canterbury, Most Reverend Sarah Mullally, has visited Cape Coast Castle in Ghana, decrying the transatlantic slave trade as an "immense evil" and offering solemn prayers of lament over the Church’s historical complicity in the brutal trade.
During a deeply emotional tour of the former British slave trading post, the Archbishop walked through the subterranean dungeons where thousands of captive Africans were held in inhumane conditions. She visited the women's cells, viewed the chambers where enslaved men and women were branded, and walked through the iconic "Door of No Return"—the final portal enslaved Africans passed before being forced onto ships bound for the Americas.
Upon passing through the door, Archbishop Sarah turned back to pray in front of the threshold.
"The Weight of Immense Evil"
Reflecting on the experience, the Archbishop underscored the profound moral failure of the era and the enduring weight of its legacy.
"Being at Cape Coast Castle and seeing the horrific conditions that thousands of people were kept in, it is impossible not to feel the weight of the immense evil that drove the transatlantic slave trade," Archbishop Sarah said.
She also paused for prayer inside the castle's former Anglican chapel, situated directly above the cramped, unsanitary male dungeons. Today, the space serves as an educational library and chapel, but it remains a painful symbol of the Church's historical involvement in the slave trade.
"We have a God who loves each one of us, who created each of us with an individual value and worth, and yet that was not recognised here," she stated.
"I pray not only in lament for the Church's involvement in the slave trade, but also for hope – hope that the God of healing can bring justice and reconciliation to all who are still impacted by its legacy. In the name of Jesus Christ, who came to set people free, I pray that we have the courage to continue our journey of repentance, and to strive for a world in which all of God's children are treated with dignity."
Supporting Heritage and Next Leg of Tour
The visit to Cape Coast Castle forms a key part of the Archbishop’s first official pastoral tour of Africa since her installation.
Earlier in the week, she broke ground on a new pilgrim hostel project designed to accommodate members of the African diaspora visiting Ghana to explore their heritage and pay homage at historic slave sites. The initiative is being led by the Anglican Church of Ghana with support from USPG (United Society Partners in the Gospel).
Following her activities in Accra and Cape Coast, the Archbishop departs for Yaoundé, Cameroon, on Friday to begin a five-day pastoral visit.
