Pope Francis will visit Canada at the end of July for a week, during which he is expected to meet with Indigenous people who survived abuses at church-run residential schools, according to the Vatican. The 85-year-old pontiff will visit Edmonton, Quebec, and Iqaluit. Last month, he apologized to delegations of Indigenous peoples who visited him at the Vatican, following the revelation of a scandal that shook the Catholic Church, as reported by the French Press Agency.
Investigations into former residential schools are ongoing after the discovery of unmarked mass graves, with more than 4,000 children believed to be missing.
Further details regarding the visit will be announced in the coming weeks, according to the Vatican.
Earlier, Pope Francis stated that he "wanted to visit Canada, but the trip has not been confirmed due to knee pain that recently forced him to use a wheelchair."
He announced earlier this month the postponement of a planned visit to Lebanon in June for health reasons.
The pope's visit to Canada coincides with the Feast of St. Anne, the patroness of Canada, on July 26.
He is expected to reiterate his apology to survivors of the abuses committed in schools and to the relatives of victims.
About 150,000 Indigenous boys and girls were forced to attend 139 residential schools across Canada from the late 19th century to the 20th century as part of government policies aimed at forced assimilation.
Many were separated from their families, language, and culture, and many experienced physical and sexual abuse from school administrators and teachers.
