On Wednesday, May 14, 2025, the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations (FSIN) called upon Pope Leo XIV to return sacred First Nations artifacts as part of reconciliation efforts.
Sacred pipes, medicine bundles, ceremonial regalia, and other cultural artifacts currently kept in Vatican museums and archives have all been formally asked to be repatriated by the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations (FSIN). A large number of these antiquities were unlawfully seized during the residential school era.
“These sacred items are not merely museum pieces—they are connections to our ancestors, our ceremonies, and our identities as First Nations peoples,” said FSIN Chief Bobby Cameron. “Reconciliation is a word that is tossed around, but we know that meaningful action is the core of what it actually means; returning these artifacts would demonstrate a genuine commitment to healing the immense trauma caused by the residential school system and honour the survivors who have waited for generations for justice.”
These items are currently housed in the Vatican Museums and archives.
“The Church has acknowledged the harm of residential schools, but those words must be followed by actions. Returning what was taken from us is not charity—it is duty. Pope Leo XIV has an historic opportunity to correct this wrong and help write a new chapter in the relationship between the Church and First Nations peoples,” explained Chief Cameron.
In the release, FSIN states that they are committed to honouring and upholding the spirit and intent of the Treaties and advocating for the promotion and implementation of the treaty promises made more than a century ago.