Lefebvrists consecrate four bishops without papal mandate, triggering automatic excommunication and schism
The Society of St. Pius X consecrated four new bishops on 1 July 2026 in Écône, Switzerland, defying Pope Leo XIV's direct appeal and incurring automatic excommunication.
The consecration ceremony
Four priests of the Society of St. Pius X (FSSPX) were consecrated as bishops on 1 July 2026 at the society's headquarters in Écône, Switzerland. The ceremony was presided over by Bishop Alfonso de Galarreta, with Bishop Bernard Fellay acting as co-consecrator. The imposition of hands on the heads of the four candidates marked the first and essential act of the consecration, followed by other liturgical gestures. The four new bishops are: Don Pascal Schreiber (Switzerland), Don Michael Goldade (United States), Don Michel Poinsinet de Sivry (France), and Don Marc Hanappier (France). According to organisers, over 17,000 faithful attended. The entire ceremony was broadcast live on the society's social media channels with commentary in several languages.
The Pope's final appeal
On 29 June 2026, the eve of the consecrations, Pope Leo XIV sent a letter to the superior of the FSSPX, Don Davide Pagliarani, pleading with the traditionalists to stop.
The Pope also wrote that the Church remains open to dialogue and recognises the attachment to liturgical life and fidelity to tradition that characterises many connected to the fraternity. The FSSPX responded that same evening, saying they wished to serve the Church in an extraordinary way and were not seeking separation from the Roman Church.I beg you with my heart: turn back. Tearing the seamless tunic of Christ is a sin of extreme gravity. May the Lord illuminate your consciences and awaken your hearts.
Immediate canonical consequences
The consecration of bishops without papal mandate triggers automatic excommunication, known in canon law as latae sententiae, meaning the penalty takes effect the moment the act is committed, without any need for a formal trial or decree. All participants incur the excommunication automatically. A formal Vatican communication declaring the excommunication and schism is expected within hours or days. The expected declaration will likely follow the pattern of 1988, when Cardinal Bernardin Gantin, then prefect of the Congregation for Bishops, published a document in L'Osservatore Romano the day after Marcel Lefebvre's consecrations.
- Marcel Lefebvre consecrates four bishops at Écône without papal mandate; excommunication declared by John Paul II.
- Benedict XVI lifts the excommunications of the four bishops consecrated in 1988.
- Pope Leo XIV sends a letter begging the FSSPX not to proceed with the consecrations.
- Four new bishops consecrated at Écône; automatic excommunication and schism triggered.
Echoes of 1988
Exactly 38 years earlier, on 30 June 1988, Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre consecrated four bishops, Bernard Fellay, Bernard Tissier de Mallerais, Richard Williamson, and Alfonso de Galarreta, without the authorisation of John Paul II. The Vatican declared the excommunication of Lefebvre, co-consecrator Antônio de Castro Mayer, and the four new bishops. John Paul II called it an act of disobedience and a schismatic act. The excommunications were lifted by Benedict XVI in January 2009, though full reconciliation was never achieved. The FSSPX today counts approximately 733 priests, two bishops, 145 professed brothers, 250 oblate sisters, 268 seminarians, and nearly half a million faithful worldwide.
The question of the faithful
For the lay faithful, the canonical situation is nuanced. Simple participation in FSSPX celebrations does not automatically incur excommunication. However, anyone who formally adheres to the schism, rejecting communion with the Roman Pontiff and embracing the ecclesial separation, does incur the penalty. The Vatican declaration expected in the coming days will likely address this distinction and warn priests and faithful against joining the schism.
