10 closing nuns leave Peru for “extreme insecurity” and move to Spain

Ten barefoot Carmelite nuns left the monastery in which they lived in Peru because of insecurity and have moved to the Diocese of Segorbe-Castellón in Spain.

According to a communication Of the Spanish diocese, the religious of Clausura, who lived since 2012 in Manchay, a popular and economically disadvantaged town in southeast of Lima, asked to be welcomed in Segorbe-Castellón “by the extreme physical and legal insecurity in which they lived in the last years in Manchay, which seriously made it difficult to live their contemplative charism.”

The Vatican, through the Dicasterio for the Institutes of Consecrated Life and the Societies of Apostolic Life, granted on July 4, 2025 the final authorization for the transfer of the religious, according to the statement of the Diocese of Segorbe-Castellón

Aci Press communicated with the diocese to obtain more information about the situation of the Carmelites. However, from Segorbe-Castellón said that they did not know the details related to the sisters in Peru because “the efforts of the transfer were carried out directly by the diocesan bishop”, Mons. Casimiro López Llorente

ACI Press also contacted Juan José Gods, from the Communication Office of the Archbishopric of Lima, to consult the situation of the Carmelites in Manchay. However, until the moment of this publication no response has been received. Despite this, the Secor-Castellón statement points out that the transfer of the religious to Spain had the “favorable opinion” of Cardinal Carlos Castillo, Archbishop of Lima and Primado del Perú.

A source familiar with the situation of the Carmelites in Manchay, who asked to remain anonymous for security reasons, explained to Aci Prensa that the religious of Clausura decided to leave because they suffered several robberies, in addition to being victims of extortion and threats.

According to the police information system (SIDPOL), The complaints of extortion, only in Lima, increased 54.5 % between January and July 2025, compared to 2024. In addition, only in June an average of 69 daily complaints was recorded.

The Peruvian religious now reside in a monastery in the town of Onda, in the Spanish province of Castellón. Aci Press confirmed – thanks to the nuns who previously lived there – who arrived in good condition and who are still in the process of installation. However, it has not been possible to contact them.

The Diocese confirmed to ACI Prensa that “the sisters arrived in the middle of last week and are in the process of adaptation.”

In a second communication From the Diocese of Segorbe-Castellón it was specified that the religious were received by the Vicar General, P. Javier Aparici, and that between the end of this month and the beginning of September, Bishop López Llorente will visit the monastery in Wave.

There the prelate will preside over a “thanks of thanks to God for this gift for the Diocesan Church, which sees in these religious an essential support through its constant and silent prayer”.