In a landmark moment for Indigenous reconciliation efforts, the Vatican has agreed to return several sacred artifacts to their original First Nations communities in Canada. This repatriation follows years of advocacy by Indigenous leaders who have long sought the return of cultural items held in the Vatican Museums’ vast collections.
During a private ceremony yesterday, representatives from three First Nations communities received the first batch of artifacts, including ceremonial pipes, wampum belts, and medicine bundles that had been housed in the Vatican for generations. Some items date back to the early 17th century, when Jesuit missionaries first established contact with Indigenous peoples across what is now Canada.
“These aren’t just objects to us,” explained Elder Martha Whiteduck from Kitigan Zibi Anishinābeg First Nation, who traveled to Rome for the ceremony. “Each item carries our ancestors’ spirits, our history, and our knowledge systems. Their return represents a healing of historical wounds.”
The Vatican’s decision comes amid broader conversations about cultural restitution following the painful discoveries of unmarked graves at former residential schools across Canada. The Catholic Church operated many of these institutions, where Indigenous children were forbidden from practicing their cultures and speaking their languages.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau acknowledged the significance of the return in a statement released this morning: “The path to reconciliation requires concrete actions that acknowledge past harms. Today’s return of sacred items represents an important step in that journey.”
A spokesperson from the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops described the repatriation as “part of our ongoing commitment to walk alongside Indigenous peoples in their healing process.”
The process began three years ago when Indigenous delegates visited Rome to discuss reconciliation with Pope Francis. During those meetings, community representatives raised the issue of sacred artifacts held in Vatican collections, some acquired through questionable means during colonization.
Museum experts and Indigenous knowledge keepers have worked together since then to identify items of spiritual and cultural significance. The Vatican Museums conducted extensive research into the provenance of each artifact to ensure proper identification before their return.
“Some of these items were gifted to the Church, but many were simply taken without consent during a time when our ceremonies were outlawed,” explained Raymond Frogner, head of archives at the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation. “Their return acknowledges both historical wrongs and the resilience of Indigenous cultural practices that survived despite attempts to eradicate them.”
The artifacts’ journey home has been carefully planned. They’ll first undergo traditional ceremonies to welcome them back to their communities before being housed in Indigenous-led cultural centers where they’ll be accessible to community members, particularly elders and youth.
Assembly of First Nations National Chief Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak praised the Vatican’s decision while noting that many more items remain in museums worldwide. “This represents progress, but our work continues. There are thousands of sacred items and ancestral remains that belong with their peoples.”
The repatriation follows similar returns from other institutions, including the Royal Ontario Museum and several European collections. These efforts reflect growing international recognition of Indigenous peoples’ rights to their cultural heritage as outlined in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
For many community members, the artifacts’ return represents more than historical justice—it’s about cultural continuity. “When our young people can see and learn from these items, they connect with traditions that colonial powers tried to sever,” said Darren Bonaparte, a Mohawk historian who has documented the journey of wampum belts through European collections.
The Vatican has indicated this represents just the first phase of returns, with additional artifacts identified for repatriation over the coming years. A joint commission of church officials and Indigenous representatives will continue reviewing the Vatican’s collections.
As the items make their way across the Atlantic to their original territories, communities are preparing welcome ceremonies that blend traditional protocols with public celebration. For many elders who never expected to see these sacred objects again, the emotional impact is profound.
“My grandfather told me stories about these medicine bundles,” said Joseph Lavallee, a Métis knowledge keeper who helped identify several items. “He learned from his grandmother, who remembered when they were taken. Four generations later, I’ll be the one to welcome them home. That’s something I never thought possible.”
