Breakaway Catholic Group Consecrates Four Bishops in Switzerland Without Papal Approval

Sudanhorizon – Agencies

A breakaway traditionalist Catholic group has defied Pope Leo XIV by proceeding with the consecration of four bishops without his approval, according to a report by the Associated Press (AP) on Wednesday.

The Society of Saint Pius X (SSPX), which opposes the Catholic Church’s modernizing reforms, went ahead with the consecration ceremony at its seminary in Écône, Switzerland, despite the risk of ecclesiastical sanctions. The society declared that defending the Catholic faith is a sacred duty that cannot be abandoned, rejecting a last-minute appeal from the Pope to cancel the ceremony.

Earlier, the American-born Pope had warned in a statement that consecrating bishops without papal approval is an unlawful act and constitutes “a very grave sin that will seriously harm the faithful and deepen divisions within the Church.”

In a solemn ceremony, church bells rang throughout the mountain valley as hundreds of priests processed toward an altar erected beneath a large tent for a celebratory Mass attended by thousands of Catholics who favor the traditional Latin Mass over modern liturgical rites. The event marked an extraordinary public display organized by the Society.

The consecration ceremony was broadcast live on the Society of Saint Pius X’s YouTube channel with simultaneous interpretation into several languages, highlighting the group’s international organization and its broad appeal among conservative and traditionalist Catholics who express concern about the modern secular world and remain committed to historic Catholic liturgical practices.

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