In 1567, Pope Pius V issued an official proclamation that banned staging and attending bullfights under penalty of excommunication. He condemned the events as “cruel and base spectacles of the devil and not of man.”
But it appears that the Holy See has forgotten its compassionate stance, and in Catholic countries today, many bull-tormenting events are held in “honor” of saints or on holy days, including Easter Sunday. Many chapels stand adjacent to bullfighting arenas where this barbaric abuse is committed, and, shockingly, Roman Catholic priests have even served as official chaplains for bullfighters, even though, according to the papal proclamation, they should be excommunicated.
Please prayerfully sign our petition to Pope Francis against this abject cruelty. And please join us in urging the Holy See to denounce this violence against bulls, reminding it that the 1567 papal proclamation hasn’t been reversed and therefore still holds:
- If you’re a U.S. resident, please e-mail the Apostolic Nunciature in the United States of America at [email protected].
Please share this vital alert with everyone you know—and lift your prayers for bulls and all animals.
