Spanish Nuns Defy Pope, Ordered to Vacate Monastery

A Spanish court has ordered nine nuns to leave a convent in Belorado in northern Spain. The nuns have broken with the Catholic Church and refuse to leave the building, writes AFP.

» Updated: August 02 2025

» Published: August 02 2025

Spanish Nuns Defy Pope, Ordered to Vacate Monastery
Photo: Cesar Manso/AFP/TT

Share this article

The conflict has been ongoing since May last year when the nuns publicly declared that they no longer recognize the Pope's authority.

In a 70-page manifesto, they criticized the Vatican – which they believe is in free fall – and called the church leaders contradictory and corrupt.

The nine sisters of the St. Clare order believe that their attempt to buy another monastery in the Basque Country has been sabotaged by church authorities. They have instead joined Pablo de Rojas, a former excommunicated ultra-conservative priest who claims that all popes after Pius XII (who died in 1958) have been appointed illegally.

The Archbishop of Burgos is demanding that the nuns leave the 15th-century monastery they have lived in, since they no longer have the right to use church property after their excommunication.

The court is now following the church's line: the sisters must leave the monastery, otherwise they can be evicted by force.

The nuns' lawyer says that the decision will be appealed. One of the sisters, Paloma, claims that the monastery is theirs and that they, as a nun order, own it.

Author

TTT
By TTEnglish edition by Sweden Herald, adapted for local and international readers

More news

Hamas Spokesperson Reportedly Killed in Israeli Strike
1 MIN READ

Hamas Spokesperson Reportedly Killed in Israeli Strike

Greta Thunberg Joins Global Flotilla to Gaza Strip Again
1 MIN READ

Greta Thunberg Joins Global Flotilla to Gaza Strip Again

Halonen Reflects on Putin's Priorities in Ukraine Conflict
3 MIN READ

Halonen Reflects on Putin's Priorities in Ukraine Conflict

Putin Attends Key Summit in China with Xi and Modi
2 MIN READ

Putin Attends Key Summit in China with Xi and Modi

Turkmenistan Cultural Workers Ordered to Lose Weight by National Day
1 MIN READ

Turkmenistan Cultural Workers Ordered to Lose Weight by National Day

Hamas Confirms Death of Gaza Military Chief Mohammed Sinwar
1 MIN READ

Hamas Confirms Death of Gaza Military Chief Mohammed Sinwar

Modi Discusses Ukraine Conflict with Zelenskyj Before Meeting Putin
1 MIN READ

Modi Discusses Ukraine Conflict with Zelenskyj Before Meeting Putin

Finnish Air Force Removes Swastika from Flags
1 MIN READ

Finnish Air Force Removes Swastika from Flags

Norway Faces Severe Impact from Landslides and Rockslides
2 MIN READ

Norway Faces Severe Impact from Landslides and Rockslides

Houthi Prime Minister Killed in Israeli Air Strike in Yemen
1 MIN READ

Houthi Prime Minister Killed in Israeli Air Strike in Yemen

EU Criticizes US Visa Ban on Palestinian Delegates for UN Assembly
2 MIN READ

EU Criticizes US Visa Ban on Palestinian Delegates for UN Assembly

Australia to Relocate Migrants to Nauru Under New Agreement
1 MIN READ

Australia to Relocate Migrants to Nauru Under New Agreement

Half a Million Evacuate Due to Severe Floods in Eastern Pakistan
1 MIN READ

Half a Million Evacuate Due to Severe Floods in Eastern Pakistan

Humanitarian Aid to Northern Gaza at Risk of Being Cut Off
2 MIN READ

Humanitarian Aid to Northern Gaza at Risk of Being Cut Off

Ukrainian Politician Andrij Parubij Shot Dead in Lviv
1 MIN READ

Ukrainian Politician Andrij Parubij Shot Dead in Lviv

Hunger Crisis in Gaza: Malnutrition Claims More Lives
1 MIN READ

Hunger Crisis in Gaza: Malnutrition Claims More Lives

Car Drives into Crowd in Évreux, France: One Dead, Five Injured
1 MIN READ

Car Drives into Crowd in Évreux, France: One Dead, Five Injured

EU Faces Growing Pressure to Allocate Frozen Russian Assets to Ukraine
1 MIN READ

EU Faces Growing Pressure to Allocate Frozen Russian Assets to Ukraine

Texas Approves Bill Allowing Lawsuits Over Abortion Pill Distribution
1 MIN READ

Texas Approves Bill Allowing Lawsuits Over Abortion Pill Distribution

Colombian Politician Miguel Uribe Londoño Runs for President After Son's Tragic Death
2 MIN READ

Colombian Politician Miguel Uribe Londoño Runs for President After Son's Tragic Death