Vatican returns Indigenous cultural items to Canada amid reconciliation efforts

The Vatican on Saturday returned 62 Indigenous artifacts to Canada’s Catholic bishops, describing the transfer as “a concrete sign of dialogue, respect and fraternity” amid longstanding efforts by Indigenous nations to reclaim cultural property removed under colonial rule.

In the joint statement, the Holy See and the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops confirmed that Pope Leo XIV formally gifted the artifacts, which had been held for decades in the Vatican Museums, after they were sent to Rome for the 1925 Vatican Missionary Exhibition. The collection, which includes an Inuit kayak, masks, footwear and ceremonial objects, is expected to be transported to Canada for reunification with the communities of origin .

Indigenous leaders continue to raise concerns about the volume o