Pope Francis spoke about the restitution of cultural objects to their country of origin during the press conference on the flight back from Hungary.
In March of this year, the Vatican Museums returned three marble fragments from the Parthenon to Greece. It was done as a gesture to the head of the Orthodox Church in the country.
The Pope explained that returning objects to their home countries is an important gesture as he saw with the Parthenon fragments.
POPE FRANCIS
This was the right gesture. It had to be done—the Parthenon, giving something. And if the Egyptians come tomorrow and ask for the obelisk, what are we going to do? But with that, a discernment has to be made, in any case.
To the extent that you can give back, it is necessary. It is a gesture. It is...better to do it. Sometimes you cannot. There is no political, real, concrete possibility. But to the extent that you can give back, please do it.
In July 2022, the indigenous communities of Canada also asked the Pope to return some cultural objects brought back to Europe by missionaries. They are requesting this as part of the healing process for the wrongs done during colonization.
PA
TR: KG
