A century-old Inuvialuit kayak once used for beluga and whale hunts, along with 61 other cultural objects from First Nations, Métis and Inuit communities long held in Vatican Museums vaults, will return to Canada on Dec. 6.

Pope Leo XIV has gifted the cultural items to the bishops, said a joint Saturday morning statement by the Vatican and the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB).

The announcement was made following a meeting at the Holy See between the Pope and a CCCB delegation, including its president, Bishop Pierre Goudreault, Rev. Richard Smith, archbishop of Vancouver, and Rev. Jean Vézina, general secretary.

“At the conclusion of the journey initiated by Pope Francis that included his Apostolic Journey to Canada in 2022, various audiences with indigenous communities and

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