Vatican expels ‘rebel nuns’ for refusing to leave Italian monastery

Two nuns told they ‘disobeyed the church’ by trying to stay at seven-centuries-old site in Ravello

The nuns left the Santa Chiara monastery on Saturday after receiving a letter signed by Pope Francis telling them they were being relieved of their duties.

The Vatican has expelled two cloistered sisters from the nunhood after the pair disobeyed a request to leave a seven-centuries-old monastery along Italy’s Amalfi coast.

Known in the clifftop town of Ravello as “the rebel nuns”, Massimiliana Panza and Angela Maria Punnackal left the Santa Chiara monastery on Saturday after receiving a letter signed by Pope Francis telling them they were being relieved of “the obligations of sacred ordination”.