Published by Elena Waldman.
5 min readIn stark contrast to Christ’s teachings of compassion and mercy, bullfighting celebrates the torture and slaughter of sentient bulls—so why is the Catholic Church still supporting these violent spectacles? While more people around the world are calling to ban bullfights—which is a misnomer, because bulls would never choose to participate in these bloodbaths—PETA U.K. is putting our faith in Pope Francis to condemn the despicable practice and cut the Catholic Church’s shameful ties with the bullfighting industry.
Bullfighting Is a Sin: PETA U.K. Protesters Disrupt Vatican Audience
PETA U.K. supporters wearing T-shirts reading, “Stop Blessing Corridas,” and holding signs saying, “Bullfighting Is a Sin,” were arrested during the General Audience at the Vatican.
Two animal welfare activists from PETA interrupted Pope Francis' general audience in Vatican City as they called for an end to bullfighting.https://t.co/fjEuZ9RzWW pic.twitter.com/hx1C9A2EJZ
— Sky News (@SkyNews) August 7, 2024
The protesters sent a powerful message in behalf of the countless individuals who are killed each year in bullfighting festivals around the world, many of which are held in honor of Catholic saints.
Torturing Bulls Is Anything but Christian
The Bible asks us to have empathy for all living, feeling beings, yet humans continue to torture and slaughter bulls in the name of saints. During a typical bullfight, a man on a horse drives lances into a bull’s back and neck before others plunge banderillas into his back. When the bull is too weak from blood loss to defend himself, the matador attempts to deliver the final blow by plunging a sword into the animal’s lungs. The bull may be conscious but paralyzed when he’s dragged out of an arena.
His Holiness Pope Francis wrote in his encyclical Laudato si’ that “every act of cruelty towards any creature is ‘contrary to human dignity.’” As far back as the 16th century, Pope Pius V—who has since been canonized—banned bullfights, which he described as “cruel” and contrary to “Christian piety and charity.” Yet Catholic priests officiate at religious ceremonies in bullfighting rings and even minister to bullfighters in chapels built inside arenas.
PETA U.K.’s Campaign to Urge Pope Francis to Protect Bulls
Priest Father Terry Martin Appears in Catholic Journal for PETA U.K.
July 17, 2024: Father Terry Martin appeared in a dramatic full-page ad for PETA U.K. in the leading international Catholic journal The Tablet. A longtime vegan and well-known animal advocate, Martin called out bullfighting for what it is: torture.
PETA U.K. ‘Nun’ Confronts Pope in Verona to Urge Him to Condemn Bullfights
May 18, 2024: As Pope Francis visited the Verona Arena, a PETA U.K. supporter dressed as a nun confronted him as he passed by in his vehicle and urged him to end the Catholic Church’s shameful ties to bullfighting.
— PETA UK (@PETAUK) May 18, 2024Today in Verona: PETA ‘nun’ confronts Pope to urge him to condemn bullfights.
Did you know that THOUSANDS of bulls are still mercilessly killed each year during Catholic celebrations? pic.twitter.com/pFpMfl6zOQ
Venice Biennale Disrupted
April 28, 2024: Amid the hustle and bustle of the Venice Biennale, PETA U.K. supporters disrupted Pope Francis’ visit to the Holy See pavilion. They used the opportunity to grab His Holiness’ attention using signs, following the celebration of Holy Mass in St. Mark’s Square.
PETA U.K.’s ‘Bullfighting Is a Sin’ Appeal Hits Vatican City
March 27, 2024: In time for Easter and ahead of the First Meeting of Bullfighting Chaplains and Priests in Zamora, Spain, PETA U.K. placed a provocative message in Rome showing an image of Jesus protecting a bull from a matador. The image was plastered on 100 billboards across the city, including near Vatican City, at major tourist attractions, and even on the back of a sightseeing bus.
Activists Disrupt Prayer Service, Beg Pope Francis to Condemn Bullfights
January 25, 2024: PETA U.K. protesters wearing T-shirts reading, “Stop Blessing Corridas,” disrupted a prayer service at the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls in Rome attended by Pope Francis.
Pope Francis Receives Gruesome Gift From Daniela Martani and PETA U.K.
December 15, 2023: For Pope Francis’ 87th birthday, singer and TV personality Daniela Martani delivered a gruesome gift to the Vatican on behalf of PETA U.K: a bottle of “blood” along with a note that read, “The Church Has Bulls’ Blood on Its Hands.”
‘Giant Nuns’ Call On Pope Francis to Cut the Church’s Ties With Bullfighting
October 23, 2023: PETA U.K. supporters—perched on stilts and dressed as nuns—joined the animal advocacy group Catholic Concern for Animals in Marseille, France, during Pope Francis’ visit, urging him to publicly condemn the cruel torture of bulls.
Italian Actor Loredana Cannata Begs Pope to Cut Ties With Bullfighting
October 21, 2023: As prominent Catholics gathered at the Vatican for the Synod on Synodality, actor Loredana Cannata joined PETA U.K. supporters who were demonstrating nearby dressed as “bloodied bulls” with “banderillas” sticking out of their backs.
Catholic Priests Ask Pope Francis to Sever Church’s Ties With Bullfighting
October 5, 2023: Three priests from Canada, France, and the U.K. wrote a letter to Pope Francis pointing out that the “torture and violent slaughter” of bulls is contrary to Christ’s teachings as well as to the Pope’s own principles of mercy and respect.
Vatican Protest Urges Pope to Denounce Bullfighting
July 28, 2023: To launch PETA U.K.’s campaign, Italian singer and TV personality Daniela Martani joined PETA U.K. supporters alongside local animal advocacy groups ENPA and Animalisti Italiani outside Vatican City.
Take Action for Bulls
As the head of the Catholic Church, Pope Francis has a responsibility to speak out against cruelty to our fellow animals. Join us in urging His Holiness to denounce bullfighting:
take action!
