Traditionalist Catholic Society consecrates four bishops without papal mandate
The Society of St. Pius X held a five-hour ceremony in Econe, Switzerland, ordaining four new bishops without Pope Leo XIV's approval, prompting the Vatican to label the act schismatic and subject to excommunication.
A ceremony at the Society of St. Pius X (SSPX) seminary in Econe, Switzerland, on Wednesday resulted in the consecration of four bishops without the consent of Pope Leo XIV. The five-hour rite, attended by an estimated 16,500 faithful who prefer the traditional Latin Mass, was livestreamed and featured elaborate vestments and music.
The Vatican had warned the society in a letter that ordaining bishops without a papal mandate constitutes a “sin of extreme gravity” and incurs automatic excommunication. Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the pope’s secretary of state, described the act as a “schismatic act” that would trigger penalties, though he said the Holy See had not yet announced how it would apply them.
"Sin of extreme gravity" – Pope Leo XIV, in a letter to the SSPX
Bishop Alfonso de Galarreta, himself excommunicated after a similar 1988 consecration, performed the laying on of hands for the new bishops—Pascal Schreiber, Michael Goldade, Michel Poinsinet de Sivry and Marc Hanappier. After receiving their miters and pastoral staffs, the bishops processed through the crowd, blessing attendees.
SSPX superior Rev. Davide Pagliarani defended the ordinations as a “sacred duty” necessary for the salvation of souls and asserted that the society’s actions were motivated by love for the pope, not opposition to him.
"We are accused of not respecting the pope… it is precisely because we love the pope… that we don’t want to see him humiliated" – Rev. Davide Pagliarani, SSPX
Church law states that consecrating a bishop without papal approval incurs the harshest penalty—automatic excommunication for both the consecrating bishop and the newly ordained. The Vatican has not yet confirmed the penalties.
The event highlighted the SSPX’s global reach, with participants from dozens of countries, and underscored ongoing tensions between the traditionalist group and the Holy See, which has sought to maintain unity after strained relations during previous pontificates.
