The Society of St. Pius X (SSPX) has consecrated four new bishops without Vatican approval, defying a last-minute personal appeal from Pope Leo XIV, who warned the move amounted to a “schismatic act” that would deepen the group’s decades-long break with Rome.
The ordinations took place on Wednesday in Écône, Switzerland, where thousands of supporters gathered as the traditionalist society elevated two French priests, one American, and one Swiss to the episcopate. The ceremony echoed the group’s 1988 consecrations, which triggered its split with the Vatican.
On the eve of the ceremony, Pope Leo published an emotional letter to SSPX Superior General Fr. Davide Pagliarani, urging him to abandon what he described as a grave act against Church unity.
“Please turn back!” the pope wrote, warning that proceeding without a papal mandate would deprive the faithful of the licit—and, in some cases, valid—reception of the sacraments. He also described the planned consecrations as “a sin of extreme gravity” and appealed to the society to reconsider for the good of the Church.
The Vatican had already warned in May that bishops taking part in the consecrations would incur automatic excommunication. Pope Leo reiterated that warning earlier in June before issuing his final personal appeal.
Pagliarani responded with a letter thanking the pope for his concern but insisting that the consecrations would go ahead. He argued that the society was not breaking with the Catholic Church and instead sought to preserve the Catholic faith during what it calls a time of crisis.
“Far be it from us to separate ourselves from the Roman Church,” Pagliarani wrote, asking the pope to reconsider the excommunications and arguing that the extraordinary circumstances justified the move.
Speaking during Wednesday’s ceremony, Pagliarani rejected claims that the ordinations represented a break with Rome.
“Are we breaking with the Church in order to keep the faith? That is a false dilemma,” he said, insisting that the SSPX remained part of the Church through its profession of the Catholic faith.
The Vatican has yet to respond to the consecrations.
