As reported by the Italian newspaper "il Giornale," the Vatican criminal court has scheduled their appeal hearing for early February.

The two Italian environmental activists, a young woman and an older man received a suspended prison sentence for property damage in the initial verdict on June 12, 2023.

Supporters of the activists are urging the court to acquit them on social media, citing their protest's alignment with Pope Francis' advocacy for climate protection.

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Earlier this week, nuns from the missionary group formed a human chain around a digger to prevent the activists from chaining themselves to it.

However, the clash turned physical when an unnamed nun from the Notre Dame Missionary Family sprinted across a muddy field to tackle a protester who appeared to be carrying two plastic pipes.

A video captured the sister rushing a protester.

The look on the protester's face as he was intercepted and thrown down like a sack of potatoes is priceless.

While some hailed the nun a hero for her impressive athleticism, others were stunned.

"I didn't expect that," co-president of the association for the future of the Bourges valley Sylvain Hérenguel told public broadcast channel France 3.

"I expected the nuns to be a little reasonable for the public order"!

The Notre Dame Missionary Family is a traditionalist Catholic religious congregation.

According to The Times, the bishop of Viviers, Jean-Louis Marie Balsa, told the religious community to abandon the project because it was excessively large.

But the nuns ignored the bishop.

France 3 reports the church construction began in 2018 and has been a bone of contention for years.

The climate activists and the Catholic clergy who support the project will meet with local officials on Thursday in an effort to resolve the ongoing dispute.

Meanwhile, the tackling nun is probably at the gym preparing for a repeat performance of her legendary defensive manoeuvre.

And, as for the bishop who ordered the nuns to stop the construction, he better watch out.

Comments posted online include:

• "Nuns are legitimately superheroes."
• "She's having nun of it!"
• Catholic radio host Adrian Fonseca remarked that the "only problem is that more people aren't helping her."
• "Sister of no Mercy."

Sources

• Western Journal
• Fox News
• Metro
• The Times