Pope Leo XIV returned 62 Indigenous artifacts held by the Vatican for more than a century to leaders of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops, fulfilling a pledge by the late Pope Francis. The objects will be sent to the Canadian Museum of History in Gatineau in early December for cataloguing and documentation before being transferred to National Indigenous Organizations for reunification with communities of origin. The artifacts trace back to the 1925 Vatican Missionary Exhibition and their restitution coincides with the Jubilee of 2025 and the exhibition's centenary. Officials describe the gesture as a step toward dialogue and reconciliation between the Church and Indigenous peoples.
Pope Returns 62 Indigenous Artifacts to Canada in Move Toward Reconciliation
Pope Leo XIV returned 62 Indigenous artifacts held by the Vatican for more than a century to leaders of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops, fulfilling a pledge by the late Pope Francis. The objects will be sent to the Canadian Museum of History in Gatineau in early December for cataloguing and documentation before being transferred to National Indigenous Organizations for reunification with communities of origin. The artifacts trace back to the 1925 Vatican Missionary Exhibition and their restitution coincides with the Jubilee of 2025 and the exhibition's centenary. Officials describe the gesture as a step toward dialogue and reconciliation between the Church and Indigenous peoples.
04:06 AM, 11/16/2025Society
Pope Returns 62 Indigenous Artifacts to Canada
On Nov. 15, Pope Leo XIV handed over 62 Indigenous artifacts held by the Vatican for more than a century to leaders of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB). The transfer, completed during a Vatican meeting with senior Canadian clergy, fulfilled a pledge originally made by Pope Francis, who died on April 21.
The objects relate to Canada’s original inhabitants—the First Nations, Inuit and Métis—who together number about 1.8 million people, roughly 5% of Canada’s population. Church and Vatican officials emphasized that the return is intended as a sign of respect, dialogue and fraternity with Indigenous communities.
Next steps: cataloguing and repatriation
The CCCB and the Vatican said the artifacts will be packaged in the coming weeks and transported in early December to the Canadian Museum of History in Gatineau, Quebec. There, museum curators will inspect, document and catalog each item before they are transferred to National Indigenous Organizations, which will work to reunite the artifacts with their communities of origin.
"We are committed to ensuring that these artifacts are properly safeguarded, respected and preserved," the CCCB and Vatican said in a joint statement. Bishop Pierre Goudreault, president of the CCCB, described the gesture as "a tangible sign" of the pope’s desire to support Canadian bishops in accompanying Indigenous peoples "in a spirit of reconciliation during the Jubilee Year of Hope and beyond." Bishop Goudreault also thanked National Indigenous Organizations for their collaboration and reiterated the Church's commitment to reconciliation.
Historical context
Church records show the objects were part of the 1925 Vatican Missionary Exhibition, promoted by Pope Pius XI during the Holy Year to "bear witness to the faith and cultural richness of peoples." After the exhibition, the items were incorporated into the holdings of the Lateran Ethnological Missionary Museum. The Vatican noted that the restitution coincides with the Jubilee of 2025 and the centenary of the 1925 Missionary Exhibition.
Indigenous communities have long requested the return of cultural objects held by foreign institutions, including the Vatican. In spring 2022, Indigenous representatives met Pope Francis at the Vatican ahead of his 2023 trip to Canada; that meeting included a tour of the Vatican Museums and a private viewing of collections. At the time, Francis said: "This is the Seventh Commandment: If you have stolen something, you must give it back."
In 2024, then-Prime Minister Justin Trudeau raised the matter with Pope Francis during the G7 summit in Italy and urged the Vatican to follow through. Canadian officials say the collection includes an Inuvialuit kayak once used for beluga and whale hunts. Joyce Napier, Canada’s ambassador to the Holy See, called the decision "historic," saying it advances the embassy’s mandate to promote reconciliation with Indigenous peoples.
"His Holiness Pope Leo XIV desires that this gift represent a concrete sign of dialogue, respect and fraternity," the joint CCCB–Vatican statement said.