Ceremony in Switzerland proceeds as Vatican warns of excommunication
A breakaway Catholic group ordained four new bishops in southwestern Switzerland on Wednesday despite a direct appeal from Pope Leo XIV urging the organisation to halt the ceremony. The ordinations took place in the Alpine village of Écône, where thousands gathered to witness the event organised by the Society of St. Pius X (SSPX).
Earlier this week, Pope Leo XIV issued a personal letter to SSPX Superior General Davide Pagliarani, urging the group to reconsider what he described as a “schismatic act.” The pontiff appealed for unity within the Catholic Church and asked the society to abandon its plans. However, the ceremony proceeded as scheduled and was broadcast on social media.
Vatican reiterates Church law on bishop appointments
According to Catholic Church law, only the pope has the authority to approve the consecration of bishops, preserving the apostolic succession that traces Church leadership back to Jesus Christ’s apostles. Consequently, the Vatican warned that the ordinations would trigger automatic excommunication for both the newly ordained bishops and the bishop who conducted the ceremony without papal approval.
The Society of St. Pius X has maintained a strained relationship with the Vatican for decades because of its rejection of key reforms introduced during the Second Vatican Council in the 1960s. The group continues to advocate traditional Catholic teachings and the pre-Vatican II Latin Mass.
Long-running dispute continues
The latest development echoes a similar confrontation in 1988, when SSPX founder Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre ordained four bishops without papal consent and was subsequently excommunicated by Pope John Paul II. Later, Pope Benedict XVI lifted the remaining excommunications in an effort to rebuild dialogue with the traditionalist movement.
The SSPX announced in February that it intended to consecrate additional bishops, arguing that the organisation required more senior clergy to oversee its expanding global network. The group currently says it has 733 priests serving communities worldwide. Wednesday’s ordinations now mark another significant escalation in the long-running dispute between the Vatican and the traditionalist society.
