“A concrete sign of dialogue, respect and fraternity,” says Vatican as it returns 62 Indigenous artifacts to Canadian communities.
The Vatican on Saturday returned 62 Indigenous artifacts to Canada’s Catholic bishops, calling the transfer “a concrete sign of dialogue, respect and fraternity.” The Holy See and the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops said Pope Leo XIV formally gifted the items, which had been held in the Vatican Museums after the 1925 Vatican Missionary Exhibition. The collection includes an Inuit kayak, ceremonial masks, footwear, and other cultural objects, and will be transported to Canada to reunite with the communities of origin.
Indigenous leaders continue to raise concerns over thousands of cultural items still held abroad. The Assembly of First Nations stressed the importance of returning sacred objects. Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand described the move as “an important step that honours the diverse cultural heritage of Indigenous peoples and supports ongoing efforts toward truth, justice, and reconciliation.”
The repatriation follows Pope Francis’ 2022 apologies for the Church’s role in residential schools and the Vatican’s 2023 repudiation of the “Doctrine of Discovery.”