Since news about the 22 of April escape of Pope Gregory XVIII from Palmar de Troya was made public by me and others, there have been many articles about the matter in the Spanish press. The combination of a hermetically closed religious group and a pope leaving to live with his girlfriend, claiming that he does not believe in the church teachings anymore is of course thrilling to many, including me.
Below you will find links to a selection of articles published from late April onwards. Many are quite interesting and not too speculative, including several interviews with the ex-pope, who now wants to “turn the page”and leave everything behind him, presenting the Palmarian church as a “scam” (montaje).
By May 2016, one month after the departure of ex-pope Gregory from Palmar de Troya, several Spanish TV channels have broadcast longer documentaries about the history of the Palmarians and the current events.
Early news on the escape of Pope Gregory XVII, ABC Sevilla 25 April 2016: El «papa» de El Palmar de Troya pierde su fe y deja su «orden» sin despedirse de sus seguidores
A history of Palmar and reports on the recent events, including the coronation of the new pope, Peter III, ABC Sevilla 26 April: Los cuatro «papas» del Palmar de Troya
A news flash, Antena 3, 26 April 2016: El ‘Papa’ de El Palmar pierde su fe y deja su orden sin despedirse de sus seguidores
An interview with the ex-pope, ABC Sevilla, 27 April 2016: El «papa» del Palmar niega haber robado el «papamóvil»: «Es mio, estaba a mi nombre»
A Swiss article about the new pope on 20 min, 28 April 2016: Die Schweiz hat jetzt auch einen Papst
A more detailed investigation, based on an interview with me, ABC Sevilla 30 April 2016: Desmontando el Palmar de Troya
Interview with the alcalde of Palmar de Troya on the development, Diario de Sevilla, 29 April 2016: El alcalde de El Palmar cree que el nuevo ‘papa’ puede ser más aperturista
An interview with the ex-pope in El Español, 1 May 2016: Gregorio XVIII, expapa de El Palmar de Troya por amor
For years, the Dialogue Ireland group has published a number of articles on the Palmarian Church, most of them on the Irish branch, see Palmarian News
A comment on the development by religious studies scholar Jean-François Mayer: Église palmarienne: Grégoire XVIII perd la foi et va se marier, le nouveau pape Pierre III est un Suisse
Article in El Mundo 2 May 2016: El ‘papa’ (del Palmar de Troya) se fuga con su novia
Luis Santamaría’s interview with me on the Aleteia web site, 9 May 2016 El Palmar de Troya siempre ha sido un negocio… y un peligro para sus miembros
A 70-minute documentary about the recent development on Canal Sur, 10 May 2016, El Palmar de Troya
An article including testimonies by former clergy in El País 13 May 2016: La fuga de un papa enamorado
Interview with the ex-pope on La Sexta TV 18 May 2016: Ginés
Article in El País 23 May 2016: La gran mentira de la Iglesia del Palmar de Troya
Interview with the ex-pope on Antena 3 23 May 2016: Hablamos con el que fuera Papa de El Palmar de Troya
A series of brief documentaries by Telecino May 2016: Palmar de Troya
Brief history of Palmar de Troya on Telecinco 23 May 2016: La Iglesia Palmariana, un culto ultracatólico prohibido por la Iglesia católica
Brief history of Palmar de Troya on Telecinco 23 May 2016: La ‘Iglesia Palmariana’, estrictas normas para todos excepto para los mandatarios
Interview with the ex-pope on Telecinco 23 May 2016: El programa de Ana Rosa’ habla con el ‘Papa’ huido de la ‘Iglesia Palmariana’
Interview with an ex-Palmarian on Telecinco 24 May 2016: AR’ habla con una exdevota de la ‘Iglesia palmariana’: “Es una secta”
Brief story about the Palmarian church on Telecinco 25 May 2016: La avaricia del Palmar de Troya: apartamentos, coches de lujo y un templo
A report from the town of Palmar de Troya on Antena 3 25 May 2016: Así ven los vecinos de El Palmar a la iglesia palmariana
A longer article including and interview with the ex-pope and testimonies from ex-Palmarians, El País 25 May 2016:
Interview with the ex-pope on Antena 3 26 May 2016: “La crispación en el Palmar es altísima, por eso se ha producido la agresión”
Article in El País in English 26 May 2016: The Palmarian Catholic Church: a lie that lasted 40 years
An excellent article on the Palmarians by Nick Rider, originally written in 2014, but updated with notes on the recent development: Journeys to the Bizarre: the Basilica of Palmar de Troya
An article about Palmarian children, El Español 27 May 2016: Los niños ‘tapados’ de El Palmar de Troya, en manos de la Fiscalía
Article about the alleged relations between the Palmarians and the fake Remnant Catholic church in El Correo de Andalucía, 29 May 2016: Otro papa argentino para El Palmar de Troya
On Palmarian children on Telecinco 30 May 2016: Los mandamientos del niño palmariano
On the Palmarian Bible on Telecinco 31 May 2016: Los libros sagrados del Palmar de Troya
On Palmarian children on Telecinco 31 May 2016: ¿Cómo es la relación de los niños palmarianos con sus compañeros de colegio?
On the ex-pope in Hoy, 12 June 2016: El Palmar: sexo y mentiras
Podcast on the history of the Palmarian Church, part 1, 16 June 2016: El Palmar de Troya: La historia del nacimiento de una Iglesia.
On the fire in the Palmarian church compound in ABC Seville edition, 8 July 2016: Desalojan la basílica de El Palmar de Troya por un incendio en su archivo
Testimonies about Palmar de Troya on the Irish radio show RTE Liveline 11-12 and 18-20 July 2016 (Links on Dialogue Ireland’s blog): Liveline
Brief extract from a TVNZ programme about ex-nun Maria Hall from New Zealand: Maria Hall
On the death of Father Tobias in Irish Independent 18 July 2016: ‘He never should have gone’ – Sister’s heartbreak as Irish man allegedly dies at controversial Palmarian church in Spain
Interview with Verónica whose sister is a Palmarian nun on Telecinco 21 July 2016: Verónica, hermana de una monja de ‘El Palmar de Troya’: “No me dejan verla”
Interview with an Palmarian ex-nun on Telecinco 21 July 2016: Una exmonja de ‘El Palmar de Troya’: “Estábamos aisladas. No podíamos hablar”
Interview with an ex-secretary of Gregory XVII on Telecinco 21 July 2016: El exsecretario del Papa Clemente: “No sé por qué no intervienen para acabar con esto”
On the death of Father Tobias in Utrera digital 22 July 2016: La extraña muerte del «padre Tobías» en la iglesia palmariana
Report on various events during Peter III’s papacy on Telecinco 10 August 2016: Las tragedias del nuevo Papa palmariano
Interview with Nieves Triviño, the ex-popes wife to be, Interviú 5 September 2016: Yo fui la Mata Hari de El Palmar de Troya
The ex-pope getting married in El ideal, 8 September 2016: El expapa de El Palmar de Troya se casa en Monachil por lo civil
Article on the wedding of the ex-pope in El Español, 10 September 2016: Así será la boda flamenca del Papa enamorado y la exmonja del Palmar
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