Schism with rebel Catholic sect overshadows Pope Leo's France visit
A deepening rift with the ultra-conservative Society of Saint Pius X is complicating Pope Leo XIV's visit to Lourdes, after the sect's followers were excommunicated and barred from holding their annual pilgrimage there.
Pope Leo XIV's first papal state visit to France in nearly two decades brings him to the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes on Sunday, one of Catholicism's most significant pilgrimage sites. The visit, however, is clouded by an escalating dispute with the ultra-conservative Society of Saint Pius X (SSPX).
In July, the Vatican excommunicated SSPX followers who defied the pope's warnings and ordained four bishops, including two Frenchmen, without his approval. Following that schismatic act, the bishop of Tarbes and Lourdes barred SSPX members from organizing their annual Pilgrimage of Christ the King at the sanctuary in October, an event that typically draws thousands of pilgrims from across Europe.
A long-running standoff
Founded in 1970 in opposition to the reforms of the Second Vatican Council, the SSPX rejects the modernized celebration of Mass, insisting on Latin services with priests facing the altar, and opposes religious freedom and interfaith dialogue. The group is estimated to have around 600,000 followers worldwide, concentrated mainly in France and the United States.
The Vatican first excommunicated SSPX bishops in 1988; Benedict XVI later reversed that decision, and Pope Francis granted further concessions. The July decree rolled back those concessions and declared that lay members formally adhering to the group are also to be considered excommunicated schismatics.
Critics, including former members, have accused the sect of cultish and sectarian practices. French media investigations found SSPX-run schools using textbooks glorifying Vichy France leader Marshal Pétain, with one omitting any mention of the Holocaust. The group has a documented history of far-right sympathies dating to its founder.
Ahead of the papal visit, SSPX representatives in France struck a conciliatory tone while making clear they will be watching closely for the pope's stance on euthanasia and abortion, both subjects of recent legislative debate in France.
