Vatican excommunicates followers of traditionalist Catholic Society SSPX
Catholic Church takes hard line against SSPX after unauthorized ordinations
The Vatican has excommunicated members and bishops of the traditionalist Catholic group known as the Society of Saint Pius X (SSPX), following the consecration of four new bishops in Geneva against direct instructions from Pope Leo XIV.
In a decree, the Vatican confirmed that all six SSPX bishops have been excommunicated and warned that lay members who formally align themselves with the group may also be considered schismatic and subject to excommunication.
However, it clarified that not all members would be automatically punished, stating that only those who regularly participate in SSPX activities or fully accept its doctrinal positions could fall under the ruling.
The Vatican also emphasized that individuals who leave the group would be welcomed back into the Church, according to BBC.
The SSPX, founded in 1970 in opposition to reforms introduced by the Second Vatican Council, maintains traditional Catholic practices, including Latin-language Mass, altered liturgical practices, and more conservative social teachings. The group is estimated to have around 600,000 followers globally.
The Vatican described SSPX sacraments as “illicit,” stating that confessions and marriages conducted under its authority are not valid under Church law.
The decision marks one of the most severe disciplinary actions taken by the Catholic Church in recent years, effectively placing the group outside formal communion with the Vatican and intensifying the divide between traditionalist and modernist Catholic factions.
