Papal bull of Pope Pius V from 1571 found in Spain — RMF24

In the Spanish town of El Viso del Alcor, in the province of Seville, gendarmerie officers found a 16th-century papal bull issued by Pope Pius V in 1571. The document had been kept for decades among family belongings in a private home, RMF24 reports.

Two-year investigation

Law enforcement officers traced the document after a two-year investigation. Specialists from the Vatican Archive and a publication in one of the historical periodicals assisted in the search. The owner of the bull was a resident of Andalusia.

The man told investigators that he had not intended to sell the document and wanted to preserve the historical artifact. The circumstances under which the bull came into his possession are currently being investigated by the prosecutor's office.

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Document from the time of the Battle of Lepanto

The bull was issued for the parish of Santa María del Alcor. It was intended to confirm the participation of local aristocrats and military personnel from Andalusia in the Battle of Lepanto, which took place on October 7, 1571. At that time, the fleet of the Holy League defeated the fleet of the Ottoman Empire.

Spain's Ministry of the Interior reported that historians and Vatican experts had confirmed the document's authenticity. The bull was transferred to the Historical Archive of the Province of Seville, where it is to be properly preserved and made available for research.

A papal bull is an official document of the pope, sealed with a round seal bearing images of Saints Peter and Paul and the name of the pontiff.