Vatican Returns 62 Indigenous Artifacts to Canada After 100 Years

The Vatican has returned 62 Indigenous artifacts to Canada nearly a century after they were sent to Rome by Catholic missionaries. The objects— including a kayak, masks, gloves, and other cultural items—were formally handed over by Pope Leo XIV to the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops.

The artifacts will be flown to Canada in December and transferred to Indigenous organizations, who will work with museum experts to determine their final home.

This repatriation follows Pope Francis’ 2022 apology for the Catholic Church’s role in Canada’s residential school system. Indigenous leaders say the return is a meaningful step toward reconciliation and cultural restoration.