Vatican Excommunicates Ultra-Traditionalist Group After Unauthorized Episcopal Ordinations

The Vatican has issued an excommunication decree against an ultra-traditionalist group that proceeded with episcopal ordinations without papal approval, in defiance of the Holy See's reforms.

On July 2 (local time), the Vatican announced through a decree issued in the name of the Prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith that six individuals, including Bishop Alfonso de Galarreta of the Society of Saint Pius X (SSPX), have incurred automatic excommunication for violating canon law.

The Vatican emphasized, "We warn clergy and laypeople not to participate in this schism, or they will face automatic excommunication."

Furthermore, the Vatican declared that all confessions and marriages performed by SSPX clergy are invalid.

The Society of Saint Pius X, a traditionalist Catholic faction, held a ceremony on July 1 at its seminary in Econe, Switzerland, to ordain four bishops despite the Pope's opposition.

The SSPX previously faced excommunication in 1988 after ordaining four bishops without papal consent.

Although Pope Benedict XVI lifted the excommunication in 2009, opening a path for dialogue with the Vatican, the group has once again faced excommunication for conducting unauthorized ordinations.

The Society of Saint Pius X was founded in 1970 by French Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre in opposition to the modernization of the Catholic Church introduced by the Second Vatican Council (1962–1965).

This faction insists on strict doctrinal and liturgical traditions and rejects ecumenism, which seeks unity with other denominations such as Protestantism and Eastern Orthodoxy.

Currently, the SSPX is estimated to have approximately 750 priests across more than 75 countries, with an estimated following of 500,000 laypeople.
 

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