The clash

Vatican: a rift with the Lefebvrian traditionalists, in Leo's church it is now an air of schism

The St. Pius X fraternity confirms the consecration of bishops, forbidden by the Holy See

by Carlo Marroni

18 May 2026

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Translated by AI

Versione italiana

Key points

The tug-of-war between Rome and the movement, which claims 15,000 loyal followers
Historical protest against the reforms of the Second Vatican Council
The 1988 fracture and the 2009 Ratzinger incident

3' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

First 'internal crisis' for Leo XIV, who has been calling for unity since the beginning of his pontificate. Indeed, a schism within the Catholic Church is now likely, with the separation of the Lefebvrians, the followers of the late French archbishop Marcel Lefebvre.

This would be the consequence - despite the Vatican's call to order - of the consecration ceremony of new bishops to be held on 1 July 2026 at Écône in Switzerland, where Lefebvre would consecrate new followers within the traditionalist Catholic movement he founded in opposition to the reforms wanted by the Vatican Council II. A minimal tear in itself, if referred to numbers, but one that would nevertheless open a rift in old Europe, which for Prevost is an area of Catholicism to be recovered and relaunched (the announcement of his trip to France in September is confirmation of this).

The tug-of-war between Rome and the movement, which claims 15,000 followers

The traditionalist movement in recent hours has been clear: "The episcopal consecration ceremony announced by the St. Pius X Priestly Fraternity (the Lefebvrians, ed.) will be held as planned on 1 July 2026, in the Écône meadow, at the very place where the 1988 consecrations by Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre were celebrated," reads an official statement. "This historic event will bring together nearly 15,000 faithful, as well as some 1,300 priests, monks and nuns from all over the world."

On 13 May last, the Vatican had tried one last time to reconcile the distance with the Saint Pius X Fraternity by reminding them that all episcopal ordinations outside the "pontifical mandate" have no validity. And going so far as to use heavy words: "This gesture (the ordination of new bishops, ed.) will constitute a schismatic act and formal adherence to schism constitutes a grave offence to God and entails the excommunication established by Church law".

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The historic protest against the reforms of the Second Vatican Council

On that occasion, the response of Lefebvre's followers, who had always been critical of the reforms opened by the Second Vatican Council, was harsh: "Holy Father, for more than fifty years, the St. Pius X priestly fraternity has endeavoured to present to the Holy See its case of conscience against the errors that destroy Catholic faith and morality. Unfortunately, all the committed discussions have remained fruitless and all the concerns expressed have not received any truly satisfactory response," reads an epistle. "For more than fifty years, the only solution that the Holy See is really considering seems to be canonical sanctions. To our great regret, it seems to us that the canonical right is thus being used not to confirm in the faith, but to distract from it."

The 1988 rift and Ratzinger's 2009 incident

The first major rift had occurred in 1988, on the occasion of the episcopal ordinations, which, however, in 2009 Benedict XVI (much misguided by his entourage) had tried to recompose. In fact Ratzinger revoked the excommunication of four bishops of the St Pius X Priestly Fraternity, who had been illegitimately ordained in 1988. The decision created an asprous international debate since one of them, Richard Williamson, was known for his Denialist positions on the Shoah. And that was one of the major incidents of the pontificate, creating rifts especially with the Jewish world. In 1988 John Paul II wrote a letter on ordinations that began: "With great affliction the Church has taken note of the illegal episcopal ordination conferred on 30 June last by Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre, which has thwarted all the efforts made over the years to ensure full communion with the Church on the Priestly Fraternity of St. Pius X, founded by Archbishop Lefebvre himself. Indeed, these efforts, especially intense in recent months, in which the Apostolic See has used understanding to the limit of what was possible, have been to no avail'.