A Spanish court has set February 10, 2026, for the forced eviction of excommunicated former nuns from the Monastery of Santa Clara in Belorado.
Newsroom (08/01/2026 Gaudium Press ) The Court of First Instance and Preliminary Investigation of Briviesca has issued two final, non-appealable court orders mandating the eviction of the former nuns still residing in the Monastery of Santa Clara in Belorado. These women were excommunicated in June 2024 for schism and are no longer recognized as members of the Catholic Church. The new directive gives them one month to vacate the convent voluntarily or face forced eviction on February 10, 2026.
According to official information released by the Office of the Pontifical Commissioner for the Monasteries of Belorado, Orduña, and Derio, the first of these rulings—Provisional Enforcement Order No. 109/2025—was issued on December 30, 2025. The order clearly states that the monastery must be “free and readily available to the plaintiff,” referring to the Archdiocese of Burgos and the recognized community of Santa Clara de Belorado.
The order specifies that the occupants must vacate the property within a month and warns that non-compliance will result in eviction. Crucially, this legal mandate cannot be appealed, effectively concluding the long-standing legal and ecclesiastical dispute over the ownership and possession of the monastery.
A Date Set for Forced Eviction
The second key ruling, issued on January 5, 2026, by the same Briviesca court, establishes the practical timeline for enforcement. It stipulates that should the former nuns fail to vacate voluntarily, authorities will proceed with eviction on February 10, 2026, at 9:30 a.m.
Although this decree is formally subject to review, the court made it explicit that any appeal “will not suspend the effects of this decree.” The judicial process therefore continues without interruption, confirming that no procedural maneuver can delay the mandated eviction.
Legal and Ecclesiastical Background
The roots of this conflict trace back to the decision of the former Poor Clares who, after breaking ties with the Catholic Church in 2024, sought to claim ownership of the convent they once occupied as members of the order. Their stance led to a series of civil and ecclesiastical battles over property and authority.
On July 31, 2025, the Briviesca Court ruled definitively in favor of the Church, recognizing its ownership rights and ordering the eight remaining former nuns to vacate. An initial eviction date was set for September 12, and later postponed to October 3 to allow potential appeals to the Provincial Court of Burgos. However, judicial proceedings stalled pending the resolution of two appeals filed by the former nuns, delaying enforcement for several months.
Provisional Enforcement Moves Forward
Despite the pending appeals, the Archdiocese of Burgos requested a provisional enforcement of the eviction. In December 2025 and January 2026, the Briviesca Court agreed, emphasizing the final nature of its provisional execution orders.
The Archdiocese clarified that the one-month period for voluntary vacancy starts the day after both court orders are formally served. With this timeline in place, the eviction process has entered its conclusive phase. Should the excommunicated occupants remain, bailiffs and law enforcement will enforce the court’s mandate without further delay or legal recourse.
The End of a Contested Chapter
The saga of the Belorado monastery reflects a collision between religious conviction, canonical law, and civil property rights. Once a spiritual refuge for the Poor Clares, the monastery has become a focal point of debate on ecclesiastical authority and defiance within modern Catholicism.
With the date now set and no further legal recourse available, February 10, 2026, stands as the definitive end to one of Spain’s most unusual and high-profile religious disputes.
- Raju Hasmukh with files from Infocatholica
Related Images:
