One century after 62 artifacts were removed from Canada to feature in a 1925 missionary exhibition in Rome, the Vatican has initiated the process of their repatriation to Indigenous communities. These objects, which were taken from various tribes and held within the Vatican Museum's ethnographic collection known as the Anima Mundi museum, were formally presented by Pope Leo XIV on Saturday to the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB). The CCCB stated its intention to facilitate the return of the artifacts to their original native communities. This action is a direct outcome of Pope Francis's historic "penitential pilgrimage" to Canada in 2022, during which he offered an apology to the First Nations leaders for the Church's role in the "genocide" and suppression of indigenous identity through the residential schools program, reports The WP Times with reference to the BBC.
A joint statement released by the Vatican and the CCCB affirmed that the Pope intends for this gesture to serve as a "concrete sign of dialogue, respect and fraternity." The statement added that the artefacts "bear witness to the history of the encounter between faith and the cultures of the indigenous peoples." Among the items being returned, which originate from several different communities across Canada, are a historical Inuit kayak used for whale hunting in the far north and a set of embroidered gloves from the Cree Nation. Canada's ambassador to the Holy See informed CBC News that the items are currently in storage in Rome and are scheduled to be flown back to Canada on December 6th. The CCCB confirms the objects will be transferred to Canada's National Indigenous Organizations, who "will then ensure that the artefacts are reunited with their communities of origin."
The tribes themselves have prepaid the cost of repatriating the items and plan to hold traditional ceremonies before their official return. Canada's Foreign Minister publicly praised the move, calling it, "an important step that honours the diverse cultural heritage of Indigenous peoples and supports ongoing efforts toward truth, justice, and reconciliation." The Church has controversially characterized the items as "gifts" given by tribal leaders. Critics, however, dispute this description, citing the significant power imbalance at the time of transfer and the fact that the items were taken during a period when both Canadian law and Catholic decrees explicitly prohibited native spiritual practices and ceremonial objects.
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