The Society of St. Pius X consecrates four bishops in Écône without the consent of Pope Leo XIV, and Vatican officials say the act triggers automatic excommunication and places the fraternity outside full communion with the Church.The newly consecrated bishops—Pascal Schreiber, Michael Goldade, Michel Poinsinet de Sivry and Marc Hanappier—are ordained in the traditional Latin rite as the Society argues a "state of necessity" justifies preserving the Latin Mass; the fraternity recalls Marcel Lefebvre's 1988 consecrations and notes past concessions by Pope Francis and a 2009 lifting of penalties by Benedict XVI.Canon lawyers say excommunication is meant as a medicinal penalty to prompt repentance, but they warn that the consecrations risk a wider schism and that
Pope Leo XIV may revoke concessions and pursue juridical and disciplinary measures to protect church unity.