A faction of ultra-conservative Catholics from the Society of Saint Pius X (SSPX) defied Pope Leo by ordaining four bishops without papal approval in a ceremony held on July 1 in the Swiss village of Ecône. The event, streamed live, featured the consecration of one bishop from Switzerland, one from France, and two from the United States. Bishop Alfonso de Galarreta, who was himself consecrated without Vatican consent in 1988, performed the laying on of hands, a ritual believed to transmit the Holy Spirit in Catholic tradition.

According to canon law, all five bishops involved now face automatic excommunication. The SSPX, established in 1970 in Ecône, opposes changes introduced by the Second Vatican Council (1962–1965), including the shift from Latin to vernacular languages during Mass. The group views its actions as a necessary defense of traditional Catholic doctrine and practice, despite the risk of severe ecclesiastical penalties.

Pope Leo had made a final appeal to the society to refrain from the ordinations, describing the act as schismatic and gravely sinful. However, the society proceeded as planned. During the ceremony, a priest read a statement asserting the ordinations were a “sacred duty” to uphold the church’s tradition and magisterium, declaring any punishments imposed would be considered invalid by the SSPX.

The ceremony drew hundreds of priests and faithful to Ecône’s seminary, accompanied by organ music and ritual procession. Notably, members of Italy’s far-right political parties, Forza Nuova and Futuro Nazionale, were reportedly present among the crowd. These groups are seen as politically significant ahead of Italy’s upcoming general elections, which pose a challenge to Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s bid for a second term.

Despite its status as a splinter group, the SSPX maintains a substantial global presence, with around 1,500 priests, seminarians, and vocations across the United States, France, Argentina, and other nations. The live broadcast of the ceremony, given in French, was simultaneously translated into English, German, Italian, and Polish to reach a wider audience.

The ordination highlights ongoing tensions within the Catholic Church between traditionalist factions and the Vatican’s efforts to enforce ecclesiastical unity and modernize practice. The SSPX’s defiance underscores the challenges Pope Leo faces in addressing dissent within the church’s ranks.