First Nations, Inuit, and Métis leaders are set to welcome home dozens of Indigenous artifacts released from the Vatican collection on Saturday at Montreal’s airport.

The 61 items are part of a long-running effort to repatriate objects held by the Vatican.

The items, include embroidered gloves, a kayak, and a baby-carrying sling, which have been repatriated after decades of calls from Indigenous leaders.

The return follows long-standing efforts and ceremonies, including a Vatican delegation in 2022 and Pope Francis’ visit to Canada that year, aimed at addressing the legacy of church-run residential schools.

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Assembly of First Nations National Chief Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak attended the airport event, highlighting the importance of the artifacts returning home and noting that “this is the first step”, with additional First Nations items still held by the Vatican Museum.

She hopes in due time, more of these items will be released – not just for the youth of today, but also for the previous generations.

“I know our ancestors are with us in this journey as well,” she said during the news conference.

Canadian Identity and Culture Minister Marc Miller, who also present, welcomed the artifacts’ arrival, calling it a moment of cultural restoration for Indigenous communities.

“When I met with elders being put through the trauma of residential schools, they had a lot of hope, that was residing in you (Pope) of continuing that path of reconciliation,” Miller said.

He added that he “salutes the individual efforts of leadership in getting these items back.”

The artifacts will require time to acclimatize before being available for public viewing, museum experts said.

– With files from the Canadian Press

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