Pope Francis issued an apology to the indigenous people of Canada on Monday, asking forgiveness for the "evil committed by so many Christians" following international uproar over the treatment of indigenous children at residential Christian schools.
"I am deeply sorry — sorry for the ways in which, regrettably, many Christians supported the colonizing mentality of the powers that oppressed the Indigenous peoples," Francis said, according to the Washington Post.
Residential schools, which assimilated and Christianized indigenous children, were ran partly by the Catholic Church in the 19th and 20th centuries.
"It is painful to think of how the firm soil of values, language and culture that made up the authentic identity of your peoples was eroded, and that you have continued to pay the price of this," Francis added, according tot he outlet.
Francis’ trip follows reports which surfaced last year indicating mass graves of Indigenous children had been unearthed in Canada. Dozens of Catholic Churches were consequently vandalized across Canada.
Some of the graves were “already-known cemeteries,” accounted for in a 2015 Truth and Reconciliation report, or remain unverified as grave sites, according to the National Post.
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