Palmarian Catholic Church
Encyclopedia
The Christian Palmarian Church of the Carmelites of the Holy Face
, commonly called the Palmarian Catholic Church (Iglesia Católica Palmariana), is a schismatic
Catholic
church with its own pope, Gregory XVIII.
schoolgirls stated they saw an apparition of the Virgin Mary by a little tree on a piece of farmland called La Alcaparrosa near Palmar de Troya. Many people came to witness the supposed apparitions, and a number of miracle
s similar to those at Fátima
, Garabandal and Međugorje were said to have occurred. The seers had many supporters, including priests. Several other people reported visions at the site, including Clemente Domínguez y Gómez
, an insurance broker from Seville
. He gradually became the "principal seer". The original seers were forgotten, their visions dismissed by the local bishop. Domínguez claimed that the Virgin Mary had given him instructions to rid the Roman Catholic Church
of "heresy
and progressivism", and of Communism
.
In 1975, Domínguez formed a new religious order, the Order of Carmelites of the Holy Face (or Carmelite Order of the Holy Face), which claimed to be "faithful to the holy Pope Paul VI
". The order did not have official Church approval, and it claimed that Paul VI (who is still honoured by Palmarians as a martyr-pope) was detained in the Vatican by evil conspiring cardinals. The order was initially run by laymen, but supported sacramentally by priests from Spain
, Portugal
and the United States
.
and asked him to consecrate him. But Lefebvre did send three of his priests and in 1976, the (now laicised) Swiss priest Maurice Revaz (who had taught Canon Law at the Society of Saint Pius X (SSPX) seminary of Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre
in Ecône) persuaded the elderly Vietnam
ese Roman Catholic Archbishop Ngo Dinh Thuc of the authenticity of the apparitions. Archbishop Thuc was chosen because he was a papal legate
. Accepting the mystical message of the seer-mystics, the Archbishop believed that he was called by the Virgin Mary to raise two of the order's members (Domínguez and a lawyer named Manuel Alonso Corral) and three of the priests associated with the group to the rank of bishop.
He did this without obtaining the mandatory authorisation from the Holy See
. The Archbishop also ordained some laymen to the priesthood. Thuc and the five men he consecrated as bishops were subsequently excommunicated by Paul VI. Thuc subsequently cut his ties with the group and was reconciled with the Church authorities.
in 1978, Domínguez set up his own holy see in Seville, claiming that he had been mystically crowned pope by Jesus Christ in a vision. He took the papal name "Gregory XVII", and appointed his own cardinals
. By these actions, the "Carmelites of the Holy Face
" evolved into the Palmarian Catholic Church. Some Catholics previously associated with the Carmelites left the group as a result.
Uniquely, the popes of the Palmarian Church do not claim to be the titular Bishop of Rome. Rather, they claim that Christ
transferred the position of Patriarch of the West and Supreme Pontiff to the new episcopal see of El Palmar de Troya. This is a departure from traditional Roman Catholic doctrine, which identifies the papacy with the Bishop of Rome. Catholic teaching also holds that personal revelations are not binding on the Church as a whole.
As his capacity as Pope Gregory XVII, Domínguez called the Roman Catholic Church a false church and declared the nominal Pope John Paul II excommunicated. In addition Pope Gregory XVII also canonized Francisco Franco
, Josemaría Escrivá de Balaguer
and Christopher Columbus
and declared Paul VI a martyr saint.
Despite the name 'Peter II', Corral does not claim to be 'Petrus Romanus', the last Pope, according to the controversial Prophecy of the Popes
attributed to St. Malachy: he does not claim to be the Bishop (titular or otherwise) of Rome, and has no personal ties to that see.
'Peter II' has no claims to visions but has confirmed that the Antichrist
was born in the year 2000. The Palmarian doctrine regarding the Antichrist indicates that the Antichrist will mock Christ and imitate him by making a public appearance at the age of 12 and begin his public life when he is 30 years old (source Palmarian Council).
Peter II died on July the 15th 2011 after a long illness.
s), 70 nun
s and 2,000 followers. It has chapels in Ireland, Britain, Australia, New Zealand,the United States and Latin America
.
Since 1983 the Palmarian Church has drastically reformed its rites and its liturgy, which previously had been styled in the Tridentine
form. The Palmarian liturgy was reduced to almost solely the Eucharistic words of consecration
. The See of El Palmar de Troya has also declared the Real Presence
of the Virgin Mary in the sacred host
and the bodily assumption into heaven of St. Joseph to be dogmas of the Catholic faith. By 2000, they had their own version of the Bible, revised by Domínguez on claimed prophetic authority.
The Archidonian Palmarian group (Archidona
, Malaga, Spain) formed in 2000 was due to the expulsion of 16 cardinals and five nuns. They were expelled by Clemente for diverse reasons. The predominant reason for the expulsions was due to Clemente's belief that there was "a church within a church" within the Palmarian church. This group according to Clemente were planning to overthrow him. Others were expelled for an alleged plot to assassinate Clemente. Only one cardinal, Cyril Maria, was expelled due to the new edition of the Bible. The group in Archidona has since almost disbanded and there remains four or five. They presently call themselves "independent" Palmarian priests. They believe that the see of Peter is vacant.
. Domínguez admitted to having sex with nuns, and had previously been active in Seville's homosexual community.
Domínguez used self-harm
to give himself the appearance of the stigmata
.http://replay.web.archive.org/20081026053252/http://www.belowtopsecret.com/thread306649/pg1
Between 1978 and 1983, many adherents left the Palmarian Church, including the Palmarian Bishop Maurice Revaz. A similar case was Alfred Seiwert-Fleige, who was ordained a priest by Archbishop Thuc and consecrated a Palmarian bishop around 1980. He left the Palmarian Church in 1981.
in 1978, Palmarian Catholics generally accept the conventional succession of Roman Pontiffs.
Veil of Veronica
The Veil of Veronica, or Sudarium , often called simply "The Veronica" and known in Italian as the Volto Santo or Holy Face is a Catholic relic, which, according to legend, bears the likeness of the Face of Jesus not made by human hand The Veil of Veronica, or Sudarium (Latin for sweat-cloth),...
, commonly called the Palmarian Catholic Church (Iglesia Católica Palmariana), is a schismatic
Schism (religion)
A schism , from Greek σχίσμα, skhísma , is a division between people, usually belonging to an organization or movement religious denomination. The word is most frequently applied to a break of communion between two sections of Christianity that were previously a single body, or to a division within...
Catholic
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
church with its own pope, Gregory XVIII.
Origins
In March 1968, four SpanishSpanish people
The Spanish are citizens of the Kingdom of Spain. Within Spain, there are also a number of vigorous nationalisms and regionalisms, reflecting the country's complex history....
schoolgirls stated they saw an apparition of the Virgin Mary by a little tree on a piece of farmland called La Alcaparrosa near Palmar de Troya. Many people came to witness the supposed apparitions, and a number of miracle
Miracle
A miracle often denotes an event attributed to divine intervention. Alternatively, it may be an event attributed to a miracle worker, saint, or religious leader. A miracle is sometimes thought of as a perceptible interruption of the laws of nature. Others suggest that a god may work with the laws...
s similar to those at Fátima
Our Lady of Fatima
Our Lady of Fátima is a famous title given to the Blessed Virgin Mary as she appeared in apparitions reported by three shepherd children at Fátima in Portugal. These occurred on the 13th day of six consecutive months in 1917, starting on May 13...
, Garabandal and Međugorje were said to have occurred. The seers had many supporters, including priests. Several other people reported visions at the site, including Clemente Domínguez y Gómez
Clemente Domínguez y Gómez
Clemente Domínguez y Gómez was a self-proclaimed successor of Pope Paul VI, and was recognised as Pope Gregory XVII by supporters of the Palmarian Catholic Church Catholic breakway movement in 1978...
, an insurance broker from Seville
Seville
Seville is the artistic, historic, cultural, and financial capital of southern Spain. It is the capital of the autonomous community of Andalusia and of the province of Seville. It is situated on the plain of the River Guadalquivir, with an average elevation of above sea level...
. He gradually became the "principal seer". The original seers were forgotten, their visions dismissed by the local bishop. Domínguez claimed that the Virgin Mary had given him instructions to rid the Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
of "heresy
Heresy
Heresy is a controversial or novel change to a system of beliefs, especially a religion, that conflicts with established dogma. It is distinct from apostasy, which is the formal denunciation of one's religion, principles or cause, and blasphemy, which is irreverence toward religion...
and progressivism", and of Communism
Communism
Communism is a social, political and economic ideology that aims at the establishment of a classless, moneyless, revolutionary and stateless socialist society structured upon common ownership of the means of production...
.
In 1975, Domínguez formed a new religious order, the Order of Carmelites of the Holy Face (or Carmelite Order of the Holy Face), which claimed to be "faithful to the holy Pope Paul VI
Pope Paul VI
Paul VI , born Giovanni Battista Enrico Antonio Maria Montini , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church from 21 June 1963 until his death on 6 August 1978. Succeeding Pope John XXIII, who had convened the Second Vatican Council, he decided to continue it...
". The order did not have official Church approval, and it claimed that Paul VI (who is still honoured by Palmarians as a martyr-pope) was detained in the Vatican by evil conspiring cardinals. The order was initially run by laymen, but supported sacramentally by priests from Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
and the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
Consecration of bishops
To be guaranteed access to the sacraments, Domínguez's group needed its own bishops. Domínguez wrote a letter to Marcel LefebvreMarcel Lefebvre
Marcel François Marie Joseph Lefebvre was a French Roman Catholic archbishop. Following a career as an Apostolic Delegate for West Africa and Superior General of the Holy Ghost Fathers, he took the lead in opposing the changes within the Church associated with the Second Vatican Council.In 1970,...
and asked him to consecrate him. But Lefebvre did send three of his priests and in 1976, the (now laicised) Swiss priest Maurice Revaz (who had taught Canon Law at the Society of Saint Pius X (SSPX) seminary of Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre
Marcel Lefebvre
Marcel François Marie Joseph Lefebvre was a French Roman Catholic archbishop. Following a career as an Apostolic Delegate for West Africa and Superior General of the Holy Ghost Fathers, he took the lead in opposing the changes within the Church associated with the Second Vatican Council.In 1970,...
in Ecône) persuaded the elderly Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
ese Roman Catholic Archbishop Ngo Dinh Thuc of the authenticity of the apparitions. Archbishop Thuc was chosen because he was a papal legate
Papal legate
A papal legate – from the Latin, authentic Roman title Legatus – is a personal representative of the pope to foreign nations, or to some part of the Catholic Church. He is empowered on matters of Catholic Faith and for the settlement of ecclesiastical matters....
. Accepting the mystical message of the seer-mystics, the Archbishop believed that he was called by the Virgin Mary to raise two of the order's members (Domínguez and a lawyer named Manuel Alonso Corral) and three of the priests associated with the group to the rank of bishop.
He did this without obtaining the mandatory authorisation from the Holy See
Holy See
The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome, in which its Bishop is commonly known as the Pope. It is the preeminent episcopal see of the Catholic Church, forming the central government of the Church. As such, diplomatically, and in other spheres the Holy See acts and...
. The Archbishop also ordained some laymen to the priesthood. Thuc and the five men he consecrated as bishops were subsequently excommunicated by Paul VI. Thuc subsequently cut his ties with the group and was reconciled with the Church authorities.
Claim to the papacy
Following the death of Pope Paul VIPope Paul VI
Paul VI , born Giovanni Battista Enrico Antonio Maria Montini , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church from 21 June 1963 until his death on 6 August 1978. Succeeding Pope John XXIII, who had convened the Second Vatican Council, he decided to continue it...
in 1978, Domínguez set up his own holy see in Seville, claiming that he had been mystically crowned pope by Jesus Christ in a vision. He took the papal name "Gregory XVII", and appointed his own cardinals
Cardinal (Catholicism)
A cardinal is a senior ecclesiastical official, usually an ordained bishop, and ecclesiastical prince of the Catholic Church. They are collectively known as the College of Cardinals, which as a body elects a new pope. The duties of the cardinals include attending the meetings of the College and...
. By these actions, the "Carmelites of the Holy Face
Holy Face of Jesus
The Holy Face of Jesus is a title for specific images which some Catholics believe to have been miraculously formed representations of the face of Jesus Christ...
" evolved into the Palmarian Catholic Church. Some Catholics previously associated with the Carmelites left the group as a result.
Uniquely, the popes of the Palmarian Church do not claim to be the titular Bishop of Rome. Rather, they claim that Christ
Christ
Christ is the English term for the Greek meaning "the anointed one". It is a translation of the Hebrew , usually transliterated into English as Messiah or Mashiach...
transferred the position of Patriarch of the West and Supreme Pontiff to the new episcopal see of El Palmar de Troya. This is a departure from traditional Roman Catholic doctrine, which identifies the papacy with the Bishop of Rome. Catholic teaching also holds that personal revelations are not binding on the Church as a whole.
As his capacity as Pope Gregory XVII, Domínguez called the Roman Catholic Church a false church and declared the nominal Pope John Paul II excommunicated. In addition Pope Gregory XVII also canonized Francisco Franco
Francisco Franco
Francisco Franco y Bahamonde was a Spanish general, dictator and head of state of Spain from October 1936 , and de facto regent of the nominally restored Kingdom of Spain from 1947 until his death in November, 1975...
, Josemaría Escrivá de Balaguer
Josemaría Escrivá de Balaguer
Saint Josemaría Escrivá de Balaguer was a Roman Catholic priest from Spain who founded Opus Dei, an organization of laypeople and priests dedicated to the teaching that everyone is called to holiness and that ordinary life is a...
and Christopher Columbus
Christopher Columbus
Christopher Columbus was an explorer, colonizer, and navigator, born in the Republic of Genoa, in northwestern Italy. Under the auspices of the Catholic Monarchs of Spain, he completed four voyages across the Atlantic Ocean that led to general European awareness of the American continents in the...
and declared Paul VI a martyr saint.
Peter II
Domínguez died in March 2005 whilst administering the Palmarian Easter Liturgy, supposedly while experiencing a vision. His church later declared him to be Pope Saint Gregory XVII the Very Great. Manuel Alonso Corral named in 2000 by Clemente as his successor succeeded him as Pope Peter II. There was no Palmarian conclave for this election.Peter II died on the 15th of July 2011. He is succeeded by Gregory XVIII, the third palmarian pope. Gregory XVIII is the ex Palmarian Secretary of State, Sergio Maria and and ex Spanish military.Despite the name 'Peter II', Corral does not claim to be 'Petrus Romanus', the last Pope, according to the controversial Prophecy of the Popes
Prophecy of the Popes
The Prophecy of the Popes, attributed to Saint Malachy, is a list of 112 short phrases in Latin. They purport to describe each of the Roman Catholic popes , beginning with Pope Celestine II and concluding with the successor of current pope Benedict XVI, a pope described in the prophecy as "Peter...
attributed to St. Malachy: he does not claim to be the Bishop (titular or otherwise) of Rome, and has no personal ties to that see.
'Peter II' has no claims to visions but has confirmed that the Antichrist
Antichrist
The term or title antichrist, in Christian theology, refers to a leader who fulfills Biblical prophecies concerning an adversary of Christ, while resembling him in a deceptive manner...
was born in the year 2000. The Palmarian doctrine regarding the Antichrist indicates that the Antichrist will mock Christ and imitate him by making a public appearance at the age of 12 and begin his public life when he is 30 years old (source Palmarian Council).
Peter II died on July the 15th 2011 after a long illness.
Present day
The Palmarian Church claims to have 60 clergy (all of whom are bishopBishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
s), 70 nun
Nun
A nun is a woman who has taken vows committing her to live a spiritual life. She may be an ascetic who voluntarily chooses to leave mainstream society and live her life in prayer and contemplation in a monastery or convent...
s and 2,000 followers. It has chapels in Ireland, Britain, Australia, New Zealand,the United States and Latin America
Latin America
Latin America is a region of the Americas where Romance languages – particularly Spanish and Portuguese, and variably French – are primarily spoken. Latin America has an area of approximately 21,069,500 km² , almost 3.9% of the Earth's surface or 14.1% of its land surface area...
.
Since 1983 the Palmarian Church has drastically reformed its rites and its liturgy, which previously had been styled in the Tridentine
Tridentine
The adjective Tridentine refers to any thing or person pertaining to the city of Trent, Italy .It is applied in particular to:*The Council of Trent, one of the ecumenical councils recognized by the Roman Catholic Church, held in that city in the 16th century, and to the teachings emphasized by it...
form. The Palmarian liturgy was reduced to almost solely the Eucharistic words of consecration
Consecration
Consecration is the solemn dedication to a special purpose or service, usually religious. The word "consecration" literally means "to associate with the sacred". Persons, places, or things can be consecrated, and the term is used in various ways by different groups...
. The See of El Palmar de Troya has also declared the Real Presence
Real Presence
Real Presence is a term used in various Christian traditions to express belief that in the Eucharist, Jesus Christ is really present in what was previously just bread and wine, and not merely present in symbol, a figure of speech , or by his power .Not all Christian traditions accept this dogma...
of the Virgin Mary in the sacred host
Eucharist
The Eucharist , also called Holy Communion, the Sacrament of the Altar, the Blessed Sacrament, the Lord's Supper, and other names, is a Christian sacrament or ordinance...
and the bodily assumption into heaven of St. Joseph to be dogmas of the Catholic faith. By 2000, they had their own version of the Bible, revised by Domínguez on claimed prophetic authority.
The Archidonian Palmarian group (Archidona
Archidona
Archidona is a town and municipality in the province of Málaga, part of the autonomous community of Andalusia in southern Spain. The municipality is situated approximately 50 kilometres from the city of Málaga and 20 from Antequera. It has a population of approximately 8,500 residents. The natives...
, Malaga, Spain) formed in 2000 was due to the expulsion of 16 cardinals and five nuns. They were expelled by Clemente for diverse reasons. The predominant reason for the expulsions was due to Clemente's belief that there was "a church within a church" within the Palmarian church. This group according to Clemente were planning to overthrow him. Others were expelled for an alleged plot to assassinate Clemente. Only one cardinal, Cyril Maria, was expelled due to the new edition of the Bible. The group in Archidona has since almost disbanded and there remains four or five. They presently call themselves "independent" Palmarian priests. They believe that the see of Peter is vacant.
Criticism
Controversial practices which are not part of traditional Catholic devotion have been reported in the Palmarian Church since its foundation. In the early 1990s, several priests were treated in local hospitals after apparently undergoing amateur body piercingBody piercing
Body piercing, a form of body modification, is the practice of puncturing or cutting a part of the human body, creating an opening in which jewelry may be worn. The word piercing can refer to the act or practice of body piercing, or to an opening in the body created by this act or practice...
. Domínguez admitted to having sex with nuns, and had previously been active in Seville's homosexual community.
Domínguez used self-harm
Self-harm
Self-harm or deliberate self-harm includes self-injury and self-poisoning and is defined as the intentional, direct injuring of body tissue most often done without suicidal intentions. These terms are used in the more recent literature in an attempt to reach a more neutral terminology...
to give himself the appearance of the stigmata
Stigmata
Stigmata are bodily marks, sores, or sensations of pain in locations corresponding to the crucifixion wounds of Jesus, such as the hands and feet...
.http://replay.web.archive.org/20081026053252/http://www.belowtopsecret.com/thread306649/pg1
Between 1978 and 1983, many adherents left the Palmarian Church, including the Palmarian Bishop Maurice Revaz. A similar case was Alfred Seiwert-Fleige, who was ordained a priest by Archbishop Thuc and consecrated a Palmarian bishop around 1980. He left the Palmarian Church in 1981.
Popes of the Palmarian Catholic Church
Up the death of Pope Paul VIPope Paul VI
Paul VI , born Giovanni Battista Enrico Antonio Maria Montini , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church from 21 June 1963 until his death on 6 August 1978. Succeeding Pope John XXIII, who had convened the Second Vatican Council, he decided to continue it...
in 1978, Palmarian Catholics generally accept the conventional succession of Roman Pontiffs.
| Pontificate | Portrait | Name English · Regnal (Latin & Spanish) |
Personal name | Place of birth | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 August 1978 – 22 March 2005 (26 years) |
St. Gregory XVII the Very Great Clemente Domínguez y Gómez Clemente Domínguez y Gómez was a self-proclaimed successor of Pope Paul VI, and was recognised as Pope Gregory XVII by supporters of the Palmarian Catholic Church Catholic breakway movement in 1978... Papa GREGORIUS Septimus Decimus Santo Papa Gregorio XVII, el muy Grande |
Clemente Domínguez y Gómez | Seville Seville Seville is the artistic, historic, cultural, and financial capital of southern Spain. It is the capital of the autonomous community of Andalusia and of the province of Seville. It is situated on the plain of the River Guadalquivir, with an average elevation of above sea level... , Spain Spanish State Francoist Spain refers to a period of Spanish history between 1936 and 1975 when Spain was under the authoritarian dictatorship of Francisco Franco.... |
Self-proclaimed. | ||
| 22 March 2005 – 15 July 2011 ( years) |
Peter II Papa PETRUS Secundus Papa Pedro II |
Manuel Alonso Corral | There was no Palmarian conclave to elect Corral, as Domínguez had named him as successor in 2000. | |||
| 23 July 2011 – Present ( years) |
Gregory XVIII Papa GREGORIUS DuodeVicesimus Papa Gregorio XVIII |
Father Sergio María | Elected in conclave. |
External links
- Support Website for persons adversely affected by this religious group
- Source of apostolic letters of Peter II
- Information in English. Site by former Palmarians who left the community. Testimonies
- Obituary: Clemente Domnguez Gomez. In The London Independent, March 23, 2005, by Elizabeth Nash. Retrieved 2008-07-01.
- Rules governing the followers of the Palmarian church