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Pope Condemns SSPX Ordinations, First Vatican Clash Since 1988

7/2/2026

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Summary

Story summary

The ordination ceremony was broadcast live in several languages, drawing a crowd to Ecône.
Society of Saint Pius X (SSPX) said the consecrations were necessary because two bishops remained to serve its 800 churches in 77 countries.
Pope Leo condemned the ordinations as a schismatic act threatening unity, marking the first Vatican-SSPX confrontation since the 1988 excommunications of Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre and his bishops.

History

Historical Context

Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre founded the Society of Saint Pius X in 1970 to preserve the Tridentine Mass. After his 1988 illicit consecration of four bishops—condemned by Pope John Paul II and leading to excommunication—the Society grew to over 700 priests worldwide. The 2024 live ordinations echo that 1988 episode, reviving the long-standing Vatican-SSPX clash.

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Story summary

The ordination ceremony was broadcast live in several languages, drawing a crowd to Ecône.
Society of Saint Pius X (SSPX) said the consecrations were necessary because two bishops remained to serve its 800 churches in 77 countries.
Pope Leo condemned the ordinations as a schismatic act threatening unity, marking the first Vatican-SSPX confrontation since the 1988 excommunications of Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre and his bishops.

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