Vatican will return dozens of artifacts to Indigenous groups in Canada as gesture of reconciliation

"Negotiations on returning the Vatican items accelerated after Pope Francis in 2022 met with Indigenous leaders who had traveled to the Vatican to receive his apology for the church's role in running Canada's disastrous residential schools. During their visit, they were shown some objects in the collection, including wampum belts, war clubs and masks, and asked for them to be returned."

"Francis later said he was in favor of returning the items and others in the Vatican collection on a case-by-case basis, saying: "In the case where you can return things, where it's necessary to make a gesture, better to do it." The Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops said Wednesday it has been working with Indigenous groups on returning the items to their "originating communities." It said it expected the Holy See to announce the return."

The Vatican is preparing to return a few dozen artifacts to Indigenous communities in Canada from its Anima Mundi ethnographic collection. The objects include an Inuit kayak as well as wampum belts, war clubs and masks. Negotiations accelerated after Pope Francis met Indigenous leaders in 2022 and apologized for the church's role in running Canada's residential schools. The pope expressed support for returning items on a case-by-case basis. The Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops is working with Indigenous groups to return objects to their originating communities. Vatican and Canadian officials expect an announcement in the coming weeks and potential arrival of the items before year-end.

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