Two nuns chained themselves in front of the Vatican on Sunday to get Pope Benedict XV's attention claiming they had been turned away from their convent, local media reported.Dressed in Carmelite habits, the nuns said they have not been allowed back into their convent in central Italy when they returned after leaving for health reasons in 2005.
"After 50 or 60 years of monastic life dedicated to the Church, we were thrown helpless into the street like two bags of garbage," said Sister Albina Locantore, 73, who had chained herself along with 79-year-old Sister Teresa Izzi.
The unusual protest took place near where the Pope traditionally gives his Sunday noon Angelus prayer from his office window overlooking Saint Peter's Square.
The Vatican issued no comment on the incident.
The ANSA news agency cited articles from local media claiming the two women were evicted after an inspection by church authorities revealed the presence of a man in the convent.
The articles, dating from 2007, suggested the man had extorted money from the convent through the nuns.
"That's all lies," the two nuns were quoted as saying by ANSA.
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