The Vatican announced the excommunication of all members of the Society of Saint Pius X (SSPX), an ultra-conservative Catholic group, following the organization’s ordination of bishops without authorization from the pope. Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández, head of the Holy See’s Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, stated that the group had committed a schismatic act punishable under church law. The Vatican indicated that all priests within the SSPX and Catholics formally adhering to the organization are now in schism and subject to excommunication. Additionally, the Vatican invalidated sacraments previously administered by SSPX priests, reversing concessions that had been granted by a predecessor pope.
The SSPX, founded in the Swiss village of Écône in 1970, traces its roots to theological disagreements over church reforms. The organization rejects changes introduced by the Second Vatican Council, including the use of local languages in religious services instead of Latin, and does not recognize other Christian denominations or engage in interfaith dialogue. The group maintains that its members are entirely faithful to Catholic tradition. Approximately 16,500 people attended the ordination ceremony during which the conflict came to a head, and the organization has an estimated following of 150,000 to 200,000 adherents worldwide, with particular strength in the United States, France, and Argentina.
The conflict represents the first significant rupture between the Vatican and SSPX since 1988, when similar circumstances led to excommunications under a previous papacy. Those earlier excommunications were lifted in 2009 under a subsequent pope. Observers noted that the current pope had attempted to negotiate with the group and maintain church unity with traditionalist factions. However, analysts indicated that the relatively small membership of SSPX and the broader Catholic population of approximately 1.4 billion suggests the schism would have limited impact on the overall church or papal authority.
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