Guardia Civil recovers 16th-century papal bull in El Viso del Alcor

The Spanish Guardia Civil has recovered a 16th-century papal bull in El Viso del Alcor that had been missing for over fifty years. The document, issued by Pope Pius V, was linked to the Battle of Lepanto, a decisive naval conflict in 1571.

The bull granted plenary indulgence to those praying at the Santa María del Alcor parish in gratitude for the services rendered by Fernando Arias de Saavedra, the Lord of El Viso and 4th Count of Castelar, during the battle. The document disappeared from the parish in the early 1970s.

Following an investigation that began in 2024, authorities confirmed the document's authenticity by comparing it with records from the Vatican Apostolic Archive. The formal handover of the parchment to the Church took place on October 7, the anniversary of the Battle of Lepanto.