Pope Francis visits Canada to apologise to indigenous communities

Vatican: Pope Francis left Rome on Sunday for a week-long trip to Canada where he will apologise for the Catholic Church's role in the abuse of Canadian indigenous children in residential schools.

A week ahead of his scheduled trip, the Pope said that he will be undertaking a "penitential pilgrimage" to Canada, in the hopes of contributing to the "process of healing and reconciliation with the country's indigenous peoples," the Vatican said.

He said, "Unfortunately, in Canada, many Christians, including some members of religious institutes, have contributed to the policies of cultural assimilation that, in the past, have severely harmed indigenous communities in various ways."

The Pope will be welcomed in Edmonton by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Mary Simon, the Governor General of Canada.

Later, he will meet indigenous groups and also address the scandal of abuse and erasure of indigenous culture in the country's residential schools, CNN reported.

This visit comes after several calls by the indigenous leaders demanding papal apology for the harm inflicted on the indigenous children for decades.

Last year, hundreds of unmarked graves were discovered on the grounds of former residential schools in British Columbia and Saskatchewan.

CNN quoted the Canada's Truth and Reconciliation Commission as reporting that more than 4,000 Indigenous children died either from neglect or abuse in residential schools, many of which were run by the Catholic Church.

The Pope will also travel to Quebec and Iqaluit, capital of Nunavut, during the trip. (UNI)