The Society of Saint Pius X proceeded with the consecration of four new bishops in Econe, Switzerland, on July 1, 2026, directly ignoring warnings from Pope Leo XIV. The pontiff had cautioned that performing these ordinations without papal authorization would result in automatic excommunication. The four newly appointed bishops include Marc Hanappier and Michel Poinsinet de Sivry from France, Michael Goldade from the United States, and Pascal Schreiber from Switzerland.
Pope Leo XIV had personally appealed to the group earlier in the week, describing the planned ceremony as a schismatic action and urging the society to halt the proceedings. Despite this, the group maintained that the ordinations were a necessity for the preservation of their mission. Davide Pagliarani, the Superior General of the society, framed the act as an expression of faith rather than a break from the Church.
Founded in 1970 by Bishop Marcel Lefebvre, the society rejects many of the liberal reforms introduced during the Second Vatican Council. The group currently operates in over 75 countries and serves approximately 600,000 members. By conducting the ceremony without the Pope’s consent, the six bishops involved now face automatic excommunication under Roman Catholic canon law. This situation mirrors a similar conflict in 1988, when the society previously ordained bishops against the wishes of the Vatican.
