Pope Leo XIV excommunicated at least 750 priests belonging to the ultraconservative Society of St. Pius X on Thursday, a rare measure that produced the church’s largest schism in 150 years.
Formed in opposition to 20th-century reforms, SSPX has long maintained ties to Europe’s far right, and has grown its US footprint in recent years.
Its excommunication, coming after it ordained four bishops in defiance of the Vatican, delivers a “blow to [Leo’s] stated efforts to bridge divisions,” The New York Times noted, but reflects a pope who is “not afraid of making firm decisions,” Reuters wrote. The move presents a dilemma for some conservative Catholics, an expert told the Financial Times: “They either follow Leo or break with the Church.”