The banner was raised near the front row as the Pope began the service. The majority of worshipers at the cathedral, located on the outskirts of Quebec City, were indigenous. The sign, on which the message was written in red letters on a white background, was raised by two women and removed shortly thereafter. It is not clear if the pope who was standing behind the banner saw what was written on it.
The doctrine of discovery was recorded in papal decrees of the fifteenth century. This doctrine legitimized the forced seizure and colonization of indigenous lands by Christian European powers. Indigenous Canadians have been calling for its abolition for years. In 2015, the Canadian Justice and Reconciliation Commission identified repealing the ordinance as one of the elements of its 94-point action plan.
Pope Francis has embarked on a week-long tour of Canada to atone for church abuses in the boarding school system. During this scandalous period, Aboriginal children were separated from their families and attempts were made to forcibly assimilate them into the mainstream of society. The Roman Catholic Church actively participated in all of this. A spokesman for the organizers of the papal visit said Canadian bishops are asking the pope to deal meaningfully with the further fate of the doctrine of discovery.
(Reuters)
Cover image source: Getty Images
