Priests attend the schismatic consecration of bishops by the traditionalist Catholic Society of Saint Pius X (SSPX) in Econe, western Switzerland, on July 1, 2026.
An ultra-traditionalist breakaway Catholic group consecrated four new bishops on Wednesday in defiance of Pope Leo XIV, who had pleaded with them to turn back from what he called a “schismatic act”.
At a ceremony in Econe in southwest Switzerland, attended by thousands of worshippers from around the world and witnessed by AFP, the last two remaining bishops of the Society of Saint Pius X consecrated four new ones.
Two were French — Michel Poinsinet de Sivry and Marc Hanappier — one American, Michael Goldade, and one Swiss, Pascal Schreiber.
The society’s Superior General Davide Pagliarani called it a “historic” day during his homily.
