On Saturday, November 15, 2025, a joint statement by the Holy See and the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB) announced that Pope Leo XIV has gifted 62 Indigenous artifacts to the CCCB.
This gift, initiated by the late Pope Francis, is linked to the Jubilee Year of Hope and represents the Church’s ongoing friendship with Indigenous Peoples, built on trust and mutual respect.
The CCCB will proceed, as soon as possible, to transfer these artifacts to the National Indigenous Organizations (NIOs). The NIOs will then ensure that the artifacts are reunited with their communities of origin.
Read the full press release from the CCCB here: https://www.cccb.ca/announcement/pope-leo-xivs-gift-of-indigenous-artifacts-to-the-cccb/
Read the Joint Statement of the Holy See and the CCCB: https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/bollettino/pubblico/2025/11/15/251115a.html
