Assembly of First Nations says it’s talking to Vatican about returning sacred items

Pope Francis and Gov. Gen. Mary Simon watch a traditional dance during the final public event of his papal visit to Canada as he prepares to leave Iqaluit, Nunavut on Friday, July 29, 2022.

OTTAWA — The Assembly of First Nations says it’s talking to the Vatican Museum about repatriating a number of sacred items currently in its collection.

National Chief Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak said Tuesday some logistical issues still need to be addressed before the items can be returned, including protocols to ensure their safe transfer.

The AFN said it will only announce further details once plans are finalized with the Vatican.

“For First Nations, these items are not artifacts. They are living, sacred pieces of our cultures and ceremonies and must be treated as the invaluable objects that they are,” Woodhouse Nepinak said.

“We appreciate the collaborative efforts of all the parties involved as this work is very important to First Nations.”

First Nations have for years called on the Vatican to repatriate Indigenous items in their collection. First Nations leaders brought up the artifacts when they met with Pope Francis in Rome in 2022 to discuss the legacy of church-run residential schools.

That visit happened after the Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc First Nation announced the year prior that potential unmarked graves had been found at the former residential school in Kamloops, B.C. The news sparked global outrage and a national push for reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples.

During the Rome visit, First Nations delegates were given a private viewing of some of the items held by the church, including embroidered gloves, a kayak and a sling for carrying a baby. Some of the artifacts had not been viewed by the public in decades.

They left the Vatican empty-handed but with a renewed determination to bring the items back where they belong.

Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, the national group representing Inuit, and the Métis National Council have also called on the Vatican to return their items.

After Pope Francis died in April, Woodhouse Nepinak issued a statement praising him for his work in advancing repatriation of the artifacts.

The Vatican has said parts of its collection were originally gifts to previous popes and to the church. In 2019, Pope Francis committed to putting many more objects on display, including items from Indigenous cultures.

Indigenous Peoples maintain the items in Vatican custody were improperly taken from their communities.

The collection is known to contain masks, wampum belts, pipes and rugs, among other items from Indigenous communities in North America.

Many objects were taken from Indigenous people after the Canadian government outlawed certain cultural practices through the Indian Act in 1876. Ceremonial items and other important objects were seized and then sold, given to museums or destroyed.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 21, 2025.

Alessia Passafiume, The Canadian Press