Pope Leo XIV gifts 62 items to Canadian bishops for repatriation; pieces will be catalogued in Gatineau before going to First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities

By NetNewsLedger Staff
Category: Indigenous News

VATICAN CITY / THUNDER BAY — Pope Leo XIV has formally transferred possession of a historic collection of Indigenous artefacts from the Vatican Museums to the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB). The items will be returned to Indigenous Peoples across Canada.

The handover followed a Saturday morning (Rome time) meeting between Pope Leo XIV and CCCB leaders, including Bishop Pierre Goudreault, CCCB president. According to the Holy See, the Pope gifted 62 artefacts from the museums’ ethnological collections as “a concrete sign of dialogue, respect and fraternity.”

What’s being returned

Among the items is a rare Western Arctic sealskin kayak, the most recognized piece from a 2025 missionary exhibit. The Canadian Embassy to the Holy See confirmed the kayak is included.

It is not yet known if the 229-cm Wampum Belt associated with Kanesatake, Que. is part of this transfer.

How repatriation will work

• Early December: Artefacts will be carefully packaged in Rome and shipped to Montreal.

• They will move to the Canadian Museum of History in Gatineau, Quebec, where curators will examine and catalogue the collection.

• After that process, items will be delivered to Indigenous groups across the country.

Who called for the return

For years, the Métis National Council, the Assembly of First Nations, and Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami have pushed for repatriation as part of residential schools reconciliation. Awareness of the Vatican-held collection grew after reporting in 2021.

Why it matters

“This is historic, something Indigenous communities have been asking for,” said Joyce Napier, Canada’s Ambassador to the Holy See, calling the move a significant step toward reconciliation.

Pope Francis, who visited Canada in 2022 to apologize for the Church’s role in residential schools, previously supported returning Indigenous items. Former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau also urged the Vatican to follow through during a G7 meeting in Italy.

What comes next

The CCCB, working with Indigenous partners and museums, will guide the community-led return. The Holy See framed the gift as ecclesial sharing, entrusting the artefacts to the Church in Canada to honour the “history of the encounter between faith and the cultures of Indigenous Peoples.”

NetNewsLedger will share updates as shipment, cataloguing, and community transfers proceed.