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Two-year investigation ends in Seville province

• Spanish Guardia Civil recovered a 16th-century papal bull from a private home in El Viso del Alcor after a two-year investigation.
• The document had been kept among family heirlooms for decades.
• Sources differ on the bull's date: RMF24 says 1571, Onet says 1567.
• The bull was transferred to the Historical Archive of the Province of Seville, according to Onet.

Spanish Guardia Civil officers traced the papal bull to a private home in El Viso del Alcor, a small town in the province of Seville. The document had been stored among family heirlooms for several decades (Przełom w sprawie wojskowego Schengen. Zielone światło dla zasady pięciu dni – RMF24) (Zaginiona bulla papieska z XVI wieku odnaleziona. Skarb odkryto w prywatnym domu – RMF24).

Investigators followed the lead after working with specialists from the Vatican Archives, according to RMF24. A publication in a historical journal also helped narrow the search.

The document and its owner

The recovered document is a papal bull issued by Pope Pius V. Sources differ on the year: RMF24 reports it was issued in 1571, while Onet gives 1567.

According to RMF24, the bull was granted to the parish of Santa Maria del Alcor to confirm the participation of local nobles and soldiers from Andalusia in the Battle of Lepanto. The battle took place on October 7, 1571, when forces of the Holy League defeated the Ottoman fleet in one of the largest naval engagements of the period.

Investigators established that a resident of Andalusia held the bull. The man said he had no intention of selling it and wanted to protect the historic object. Prosecutors are still examining how the document came into his possession.

Where the bull is now

Onet reports that the bull was transferred to the Historical Archive of the Province of Seville after the investigation. Officials have not yet disclosed the full details of the case.