Controversial bishops ordained as Pope warns of 'schism' in Catholic Church

The split is not just about SSPX's desire to conduct Mass only in Latin.

The Society, founded by controversial French archbishop Marcel Lefebre in 1970, has always wanted to preserve a kind of medieval mystique in which priests, bishops, cardinals, and the Mass itself are seen as somehow closer to God, and therefore separate from ordinary people.

SSPX has consistently defied the Vatican over multiple policies designed to make the Church more accessible and egalitarian, including establishing ties with other religions, recognising the right to religious freedom, and participating in debates over big social and political questions.

It even objected to the Vatican's decision to have priests face the congregation when holding Mass, preferring the medieval practice of facing the altar, with their backs to the congregants.

SSPX's Superior General, Davide Pagliarani, denied trying to sustain the rift, telling the congregation in Écône the ordination was taking place "precisely because we love the Pope as the vicar of Christ, as the head of the Church… we don't want to see the Pope humiliated any more, on the side of false shepherds representing false religions".

The defiance poses a challenge to Pope Leo, who is relatively new in post.

Although the Society is small, with an estimated 600,000 followers compared with the Catholic Church's more than 1.4 billion members, it is now represented in dozens of countries, including the US, where it has an enthusiastic following in Kansas.

And SSPX clearly has funds. The ordination was live streamed on YouTube in seven languages.

The thousands who turned up to witness it were offered baseball caps commemorating "Écône2026". There were even novelty gift packs of Swiss wine, costing $92 (£80), each bottle labelled with a picture of a mitre, the bishop's crown-like hat.

So although Pope Leo has made it clear he views the new bishops as illegitimate, and their ordination as a clear attack on the Catholic Church, he may not want to do anything further to make his feared schism any worse.