The Archbishop of Canterbury, Sarah Mullally, has acknowledged the historical role of the church in the transatlantic slave trade, describing her experience at Cape Coast Castle as a profound and sobering one.

She made the remarks after touring Cape Coast Castle on July 30, 2026, during her inaugural official pastoral visit to Africa.

Reflecting on the visit in a post on social media on July 31, 2026, she said witnessing the horrific conditions in which thousands of enslaved Africans were held before being shipped across the Atlantic left a profound impression on her.

"Today I visited Cape Coast Castle. 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," she wrote.

The 106th Archbishop of Canterbury noted that the experience shed light on the contradiction between the Christian belief that every person is created in the image of God and the dehumanisation that characterised 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.

Archbishop Mullally prayed that God would bring healing, justice and reconciliation to those who continue to live with its legacy of transatlantic slave trade.

"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.

It feels very much like I’m coming home' - Archbishop Mullally after arriving in Ghana

"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," she added.

Archbishop Mullally arrived in Ghana on July 25, 2026, for her first official pastoral visit to Africa since assuming office.

Since arriving in Ghana, she has paid a courtesy call on President John Dramani Mahama, met healthcare workers and members of the Mothers' Union, and also visited the Manhyia Palace.

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