Thousands Gather to Support the Controversial Breakaway Group’s Decision
A small Swiss village became the center of a religious dispute on Wednesday when a traditionalist Catholic group went ahead with ordaining four new bishops despite the Pope’s clear opposition.
The ceremony took place in Écône, where at least 15,000 people came to watch. The four men who became bishops come from different countries – one from America, one from Switzerland, and two from France. They all belong to the Society of Saint Pius X (SSPX), a group that disagrees with many modern changes in the Catholic Church.
Pope Leo XIV had tried to stop the ordination. Earlier this week, he called it a “schismatic act” that could damage the unity of the Church. But his appeal was ignored.
The SSPX has long rejected reforms from the 1960s and 1970s that made Mass more accessible to regular people. They prefer the old Latin Mass and believe priests should face away from the congregation during services. They also oppose the Church’s efforts to connect with other religions and engage in modern social debates.
During the ordination ceremony, the four men lay face-down on red velvet pillows before the altar. Organ music played, and they took their vows in Latin. The event was even shown live on YouTube in seven different languages, showing the group has significant resources.
This is not the first time such an event has happened. When the Society ordained bishops in 1988, they were immediately excommunicated. Though Pope Benedict XVI removed that punishment in 2009 to try to fix the relationship, Pope Leo is now expected to take similar action against these new bishops.
The Vatican sees this as a serious attack on Church unity. While some might think the Pope’s reaction is too strong, ordaining bishops without the Pope’s permission breaks a fundamental rule of Catholic tradition.
The Society’s leader, Davide Pagliarani, defended the action. He told the crowd they were doing this because they love the Pope, not because they want to divide the Church. However, their actions suggest otherwise.
Although the SSPX has only about 600,000 followers compared to the Catholic Church’s 1.4 billion members, its influence is growing. The group now operates in many countries, including the United States where it has strong support in Kansas.
The ceremony also showed the group’s financial strength. They sold commemorative baseball caps and special wine bottles with bishop hats on them. The wine cost $92 per bottle.
Pope Leo faces a difficult situation. While he has made it clear these new bishops are not legitimate, he may not want to take harsher steps that could make the division even worse. The Pope is still new in his position, and this challenge comes at an early stage of his leadership.
The Vatican’s concerns may seem minor to outsiders, but within the Church, this represents a serious breakdown of authority. For millions of Catholics who see the Pope as God’s representative on Earth, this defiance is deeply troubling.
