The Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops states that 62 Local artifacts kept for a century in the Vatican Museums, were returned to Canada as a gift by Pope Leo XIV.
The church says the return process was initiated by the late Pope Francis, who wanted the items to be given to the CCCB in support of its ongoing efforts at reconciliation with indigenous peoples.
In a statement, CCCB President Bishop Pierre Goudreau called the return a “tangible sign” of the pope's desire to help Canada's bishops walk alongside Indigenous peoples “in a spirit of reconciliation.”
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The cultural and sacred objects were originally sent to Rome between 1923 and 1925 for the Vatican Missionary Exhibition and have since been housed in the museum's ethnological collection.
The CCCB says the artifacts will soon be handed over to national Indigenous organizations, which will work to return them to their communities of origin.
The exchange took place on Saturday during an audience between Pope Leo XIV and representatives of Canadian bishops.
A joint statement from the Holy See and the CCCB described the return as “a concrete sign of dialogue, respect and fraternity” and part of the Church's ongoing journey following Pope Francis' visit to Canada in 2022 and the 2023 Declaration on the Doctrine of Discovery.
The bishops say the Church remains committed to reconciliation.
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