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Sedevacantism is a
traditionalist Catholic Traditionalist Catholicism is a movement that emphasizes beliefs, practices, customs, traditions, liturgical forms, devotions and presentations of teaching associated with the Catholic Church before the Second Vatican Council (1962–1965). ...
movement which holds that since the 1958 death of
Pius XII Pope Pius XII (; born Eugenio Maria Giuseppe Giovanni Pacelli; 2 March 18769 October 1958) was the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 2 March 1939 until his death on 9 October 1958. He is the most recent p ...
the occupiers of the
Holy See The Holy See (, ; ), also called the See of Rome, the Petrine See or the Apostolic See, is the central governing body of the Catholic Church and Vatican City. It encompasses the office of the pope as the Bishops in the Catholic Church, bishop ...
are not valid
pope The pope is the bishop of Rome and the Head of the Church#Catholic Church, visible head of the worldwide Catholic Church. He is also known as the supreme pontiff, Roman pontiff, or sovereign pontiff. From the 8th century until 1870, the po ...
s due to their espousal of one or more
heresies Heresy is any belief or theory that is strongly at variance with established beliefs or customs, particularly the accepted beliefs or religious law of a religious organization. A heretic is a proponent of heresy. Heresy in Christianity, Judai ...
and that, for lack of a valid pope, the
See of Rome See or SEE may refer to: * Visual perception Arts, entertainment, and media * Music: ** ''See'' (album), studio album by rock band The Rascals *** "See", song by The Rascals, on the album ''See'' ** "See" (Tycho song), song by Tycho * Televisio ...
is vacant. Sedevacantism owes its origins to the rejection of the theological and disciplinary changes implemented following the
Second Vatican Council The Second Ecumenical Council of the Vatican, commonly known as the or , was the 21st and most recent ecumenical council of the Catholic Church. The council met each autumn from 1962 to 1965 in St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City for session ...
(1962–1965). The term ''sedevacantism'' is derived from the Latin phrase , which means "the chair f the Bishop of Rome">Bishop_of_Rome.html" ;"title="f the Bishop of Rome">f the Bishop of Romebeing vacant". The phrase is commonly used to refer specifically to a vacancy of the Holy See which takes place from the pope's death or renunciation Renunciation (or renouncing) is the act of rejecting something, particularly something that the renunciant has previously enjoyed or endorsed. In religion, renunciation often indicates an abandonment of pursuit of material comforts, in the inte ...
to the election of his successor. The number of sedevacantists is unknown and difficult to measure; estimates range from tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands. Various factions of conclavism">conclavists among sedevacantists have proceeded to end the perceived vacancy in the Holy See by electing their own pope.


Etymology

The term ''sedevacantism'' derives from the Latin term ''sede vacante'', which means "with the chair being vacant". In the Catholic Church, when an episcopal see becomes vacant due to the death or removal of a Bishop from office for whatever reason, in the interim the diocese is automatically in a state of ''sede vacante'', until a new designate is appointed and duly elevated to his see. With Sedevacantism, this is specifically in reference to the See of
Saint Peter Saint Peter (born Shimon Bar Yonah; 1 BC – AD 64/68), also known as Peter the Apostle, Simon Peter, Simeon, Simon, or Cephas, was one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus and one of the first leaders of the Jewish Christian#Jerusalem ekklēsia, e ...
, i.e., the Catholic
Papacy The pope is the bishop of Rome and the Head of the Church#Catholic Church, visible head of the worldwide Catholic Church. He is also known as the supreme pontiff, Roman pontiff, or sovereign pontiff. From the 8th century until 1870, the po ...
. The term Sedevacantism, as a thesis that the post-
Second Vatican Council The Second Ecumenical Council of the Vatican, commonly known as the or , was the 21st and most recent ecumenical council of the Catholic Church. The council met each autumn from 1962 to 1965 in St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City for session ...
claimants to the Papacy operating out of the
Vatican City Vatican City, officially the Vatican City State (; ), is a Landlocked country, landlocked sovereign state and city-state; it is enclaved within Rome, the capital city of Italy and Bishop of Rome, seat of the Catholic Church. It became inde ...
are non-Catholic
Antipopes An antipope () is a person who claims to be Bishop of Rome and leader of the Roman Catholic Church in opposition to the officially elected pope. Between the 3rd and mid-15th centuries, antipopes were supported by factions within the Church itse ...
, originated from a 1973 work, ''Sede Vacante: Paul VI is Not a Legitimate Pope'', by the Mexican Jesuit priest
Joaquín Sáenz Arriaga Joaquín or Joaquin is a male given name, the Spanish version of Joachim. Given name * Joaquín (footballer, born 1956) (Joaquín Alonso González), Spanish football midfielder * Joaquín (footballer, born 1981) (Joaquín Sánchez Rodríguez) ...
. However, there were some instances of proto-sedevacatism, ''avant la lettre'', reaching back into the 1960s.


History


Early sedevacantism: origins in the 1960s

Sedevacantism, ''avant la lettre'', is evidenced from the mid-1960s, as part of a response to the
Second Vatican Council The Second Ecumenical Council of the Vatican, commonly known as the or , was the 21st and most recent ecumenical council of the Catholic Church. The council met each autumn from 1962 to 1965 in St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City for session ...
in the
Roman Catholic Church The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...
. The earliest example is from a group of
traditionalist Catholics Traditionalist Catholicism is a movement that emphasizes beliefs, practices, customs, traditions, liturgical forms, devotions and presentations of teaching associated with the Catholic Church before the Second Vatican Council (1962–1965). ...
in Mexico associated with the radical right secret society ''
Los TECOS ''Los TECOS'' is a Mexican secret society associated with integrism and national Catholicism. Founded in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico in the early 1930s, it traditionally operated a major degree of influence over the staff faculty and student yout ...
'' based in
Guadalajara Guadalajara ( ; ) is the capital and the most populous city in the western Mexican List of states of Mexico, state of Jalisco, as well as the most densely populated municipality in Jalisco. According to the 2020 census, the city has a population ...
, in particular their spiritual director, Fr.
Joaquín Sáenz y Arriaga Joaquín Sáenz y Arriaga (12 October 1899 – 28 April 1976) was a Mexican people, Mexican Roman Catholic Church, Catholic priest and theologian sedevacantist who was excommunicated from the Catholic Church. He was associated with the secre ...
, a Jesuit priest. In 1965, at a private meeting in the house of Anacleto González Guerrero (son of the ''Cristero'' martyr
Anacleto González Flores Anacleto González Flores (July 13, 1888 – April 1, 1927) was a Mexican Catholic layman and lawyer who was tortured and executed during the persecution of the Catholic Church under Mexican President Plutarco Elías Calles. González was beat ...
), ''Los TECOS'' leaders proposed the motion that
Paul VI Pope Paul VI (born Giovanni Battista Enrico Antonio Maria Montini; 26 September 18976 August 1978) was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 21 June 1963 until his death on 6 August 1978. Succeeding John XXII ...
(Giovanni Montini) was a crypto-Jew and an illegitimate Pope, and that this line should be officially adopted as the position of Mexican traditionalists. A connected secret society, based in
Puebla Puebla, officially the Free and Sovereign State of Puebla, is one of the 31 states that, along with Mexico City, comprise the Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided into 217 municipalities and its capital is Puebla City. Part of east-centr ...
under Ramón Plata Moreno, known as '' El Yunque'', although ultra-conservative as well and unhappy about the liberalising changes in the Catholic world, rejected the proposal, stating that Pope Paul VI was indeed the legitimate Pope of the Catholic Church. This led to a deadly split in the Mexican traditionalist scene. Earlier, during the Second Vatican Council, ''Los TECOS'' had distributed the document entitled ''Il Complotto contro la Chiesa'' ("The Plot Against the Church") under the pseudonym of Maurice Pinay, warning Council fathers of a supposed “Judeo-Masonic-Communist” plot to infiltrate and destroy Christianity and the Catholic Church. Another early expositor from Latin America was Carlos Alberto Disandro in Argentina, a personal associate of
Juan Perón Juan Domingo Perón (, , ; 8 October 1895 – 1 July 1974) was an Argentine military officer and Statesman (politician), statesman who served as the History of Argentina (1946-1955), 29th president of Argentina from 1946 to Revolución Libertad ...
, belonging to the Catholic wing of
orthodox Peronism Orthodox Peronism, Peronist Orthodoxy, National Justicialism, or right-wing Peronism for some specialists, was a faction within Peronism, a political movement in Argentina that adheres to the ideology and legacy of Juan Perón. Orthodox Peronis ...
, who raised the question in 1969 with his book ''Pontificado y Pontífice: una breve quaestio teológica''.


Positions


Origin

Sedevacantism owes its origins to the rejections of theological and disciplinary changes implemented following the
Second Vatican Council The Second Ecumenical Council of the Vatican, commonly known as the or , was the 21st and most recent ecumenical council of the Catholic Church. The council met each autumn from 1962 to 1965 in St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City for session ...
(1962–1965). Sedevacantists reject this Council, on the basis of their interpretations of its documents on
ecumenism Ecumenism ( ; alternatively spelled oecumenism)also called interdenominationalism, or ecumenicalismis the concept and principle that Christians who belong to different Christian denominations should work together to develop closer relationships ...
and
religious liberty Freedom of religion or religious liberty, also known as freedom of religion or belief (FoRB), is a principle that supports the freedom of an individual or community, in public or private, to manifest religion or belief in teaching, practice ...
, among others, which they see as contradicting the traditional teachings of the Catholic Church and as denying the unique mission of Catholicism as the one true religion, outside of which there is no salvation. They also say that new disciplinary norms, such as the
Mass of Paul VI The Mass of Paul VI, also known as the Ordinary Form or , is the most commonly used Catholic liturgy, liturgy in the Catholic Church. It was Promulgation (Catholic canon law), promulgated by Pope Paul VI in 1969 and its liturgical books were p ...
promulgated on 3 April 1969, undermine or conflict with the historical Catholic faith and are deemed
blasphemous Blasphemy refers to an insult that shows contempt, disrespect or lack of Reverence (emotion), reverence concerning a deity, an object considered sacred, or something considered Sanctity of life, inviolable. Some religions, especially Abrahamic o ...
, while post-Vatican II teachings, particularly those related to ecumenism, are labelled
heresies Heresy is any belief or theory that is strongly at variance with established beliefs or customs, particularly the accepted beliefs or religious law of a religious organization. A heretic is a proponent of heresy. Heresy in Christianity, Judai ...
. They conclude, on the basis of their rejection of the revised Mass rite and of postconciliar church teaching as false, that the popes involved are also false. Among even
traditionalist Catholics Traditionalist Catholicism is a movement that emphasizes beliefs, practices, customs, traditions, liturgical forms, devotions and presentations of teaching associated with the Catholic Church before the Second Vatican Council (1962–1965). ...
, this is a quite divisive question. Traditionalist Catholics who are not sedevacantists recognize the line of popes leading to and including
Pope Leo XIV Pope Leo XIV (born Robert Francis Prevost, September 14, 1955) has been head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State since May 2025. He is the first pope to have been born in the United States and North America, the fir ...
as legitimate. Sedevacantists, however, claim that the infallible
Magisterium The magisterium of the Catholic Church is the church's authority or office to give authentic interpretation of the word of God, "whether in its written form or in the form of Tradition". According to the 1992 ''Catechism of the Catholic Church'' ...
of the Catholic Church could not have decreed the changes made in the name of the Second Vatican Council, and conclude those who issued these changes could not have been acting with the authority of the Catholic Church. Accordingly, they hold that
Pope John XXIII Pope John XXIII (born Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli; 25 November 18813 June 1963) was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 28 October 1958 until his death on 3 June 1963. He is the most recent pope to take ...
and his successors have left the true Catholic Church and thus lost legitimate authority. A notorious heretic, they say, cannot be the Catholic pope.


Justification

While sedevacantist arguments often hinge on interpretations of
modernism Modernism was an early 20th-century movement in literature, visual arts, and music that emphasized experimentation, abstraction, and Subjectivity and objectivity (philosophy), subjective experience. Philosophy, politics, architecture, and soc ...
as being a
heresy Heresy is any belief or theory that is strongly at variance with established beliefs or customs, particularly the accepted beliefs or religious law of a religious organization. A heretic is a proponent of heresy. Heresy in Heresy in Christian ...
, this is also debated.


Positions within sedevacantism


Clergy, Mass, and sacraments

Some sedevacantists accept the consecrations and ordinations of sedevacantist bishops and priests, and the offering of Masses and the administration of sacraments by the said bishops and priests, to be licit because of ''epikea'', i.e. "the interpretation of the mind and will of him who made the law". In this case, the ecclesiastical laws (e.g. prohibition of consecrations of bishops without papal mandate; prohibition of administration of sacraments without ecclesiastical authorization) are interpreted to cease when to follow them would be impossible, harmful, or unreasonable, or would mean transgressing divine laws (e.g. the church must have bishops and priests; Catholics must attend Mass and receive the sacraments), and because of a historical precedent for consecrating Catholic bishops during a long vacancy of the Holy See.


Liturgy

Anthony Cekada Anthony J. Cekada (July 18, 1951 – September 11, 2020) was an American sedevacantist Catholic priest and author. Biography Early life Cekada was born to a Slovenian-Italian family as a third-generation American. He was raised in Milwaukee where ...
considers that a question among sedevacantists is whether it is permissible to go to Masses. These are Traditional Latin Masses naming the man considered by the majority of Catholics as the Pope in the
Roman Canon The Canon of the Mass (), also known as the Canon of the Roman Mass and in the Mass of Paul VI as the Roman Canon or Eucharistic Prayer I, is the oldest anaphora used in the Roman Rite of Mass. The name ''Canon Missæ'' was used in the Tridenti ...
in the prayer, specifically where the priest says (“together with Your Servant N., our Pope.”) Cekada argues that it is not, under any circumstances, permissible.


Relationship to sedeprivationism

In contrast to sedevacantists, sedeprivationists affirm the
Thesis of Cassiciacum Sedeprivationism is a doctrinal position within Traditionalist Catholicism which holds that the current occupant of the Holy See is a duly-elected pope, but lacks the authority and ability to teach or to govern unless he recants the changes broug ...
by the Dominican theologian Bishop
Michel-Louis Guérard des Lauriers Michel-Louis Guérard des Lauriers (25 October 1898 – 27 February 1988) was a French Dominican theologian who was illicitly made a bishop by Ngo Dinh Thuc and consequently excommunicated from the Catholic Church. He embraced ideas such as se ...
as being a valid position, which states that John XXIII and his successors are popes (“ materially but not formally”), and that post-Vatican II popes will become legitimate once they recant their heresies. This position is endorsed by the .


Demography

There are estimated to be between several tens of thousands and more than two hundred thousand sedevacantists worldwide, mostly concentrated in the United States, Mexico, Canada, France, the United Kingdom, Italy and Australia, but the actual size of the movement has never been accurately assessed. It remains extremely difficult to do so for a wide range of reasons, such as the fact that not all sedevacantists identify as such, nor do they necessarily belong to avowedly sedevacantist groups or societies.


Early proponents

Early proponents of sedevacantism include: * Bishop
Francis Schuckardt Francis Konrad Schuckardt (July 10, 1937 – November 5, 2006) was an American Traditionalist Catholic independent bishop. Schuckardt is described by Michael W. Cuneo as "the rock-and-roll outlaw of Catholic traditionalism—the bad influen ...
, an American who was illicitly consecrated a bishop by
Daniel Q. Brown Daniel Quilter Brown is an American, Independent Old Catholic bishop turned Traditionalist Catholic sedevacantist. Brown was consecrated a bishop on 21 September 1969. The principal consecrator was Hubert A. Rogers of the North American Old Rom ...
and founded the
Congregation of Mary Immaculate Queen The Congregation of Mary Immaculate Queen (; CMRI) is a sedevacantist Traditionalist Catholic religious congregation. The CMRI is dedicated to promoting the message of Our Lady of Fátima and the devotion of the practice of Total Consecrat ...
(CMRI), from which he was expelled in 1984. He later established a new sect, the Traditional Latin Rite Catholic Church (TLRCC). * Bishop
Daniel Q. Brown Daniel Quilter Brown is an American, Independent Old Catholic bishop turned Traditionalist Catholic sedevacantist. Brown was consecrated a bishop on 21 September 1969. The principal consecrator was Hubert A. Rogers of the North American Old Rom ...
, an American former
Old Catholic The terms Old Catholic Church, Old Catholics, Old-Catholic churches, or Old Catholic movement, designate "any of the groups of Western Christians who believe themselves to maintain in complete loyalty the doctrine and traditions of the Great C ...
bishop who converted to sedevacantism and an associate of Schuckardt. Later reverted to Old Catholicism. *
Joaquín Sáenz y Arriaga Joaquín Sáenz y Arriaga (12 October 1899 – 28 April 1976) was a Mexican people, Mexican Roman Catholic Church, Catholic priest and theologian sedevacantist who was excommunicated from the Catholic Church. He was associated with the secre ...
, a
Mexican Mexican may refer to: Mexico and its culture *Being related to, from, or connected to the country of Mexico, in North America ** People *** Mexicans, inhabitants of the country Mexico and their descendants *** Mexica, ancient indigenous people ...
Jesuit The Society of Jesus (; abbreviation: S.J. or SJ), also known as the Jesuit Order or the Jesuits ( ; ), is a religious order (Catholic), religious order of clerics regular of pontifical right for men in the Catholic Church headquartered in Rom ...
priest and theologian who put forward sedevacantist ideas in his books ''The New Montinian Church'' (August 1971) and (1973). * Francis E. Fenton, an American priest inspired by Sáenz's writings and founded the
Orthodox Roman Catholic Movement The Orthodox Roman Catholic Movement (ORCM) was a Traditionalist Catholic group of priests founded by a priest of the Roman Catholic Church, Fr. Francis E. Fenton. History The principal founding member of the ORCM was Fr. Francis E. Fenton, a Rom ...
as an American parallel to the Mexican . *
Michel-Louis Guérard des Lauriers Michel-Louis Guérard des Lauriers (25 October 1898 – 27 February 1988) was a French Dominican theologian who was illicitly made a bishop by Ngo Dinh Thuc and consequently excommunicated from the Catholic Church. He embraced ideas such as se ...
, a
French French may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France ** French people, a nation and ethnic group ** French cuisine, cooking traditions and practices Arts and media * The French (band), ...
Dominican priest and theologian who developed the
Thesis of Cassiciacum Sedeprivationism is a doctrinal position within Traditionalist Catholicism which holds that the current occupant of the Holy See is a duly-elected pope, but lacks the authority and ability to teach or to govern unless he recants the changes broug ...
in the 1970s. He was illicitly consecrated bishop in 1981 by Ngô Đình Thục. * Several American priests of the
Society of Saint Pius X The Society of Saint Pius X (SSPX; ("Priestly Fraternity of Saint Pius X"), FSSPX) is a canonically irregular traditionalist Catholic priestly fraternity founded in 1970 by Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre. Lefebvre was a leading traditionalis ...
(SSPX):
Daniel Dolan Daniel Lytle Dolan (28 May 1951 – 26 April 2022) was an American Traditionalist Catholic bishop. Biography Priesthood Marcel Lefebvre directed the Seminary of Saint Pius X's American priests to follow the 1962 liturgical books. Dolan and e ...
,
Anthony Cekada Anthony J. Cekada (July 18, 1951 – September 11, 2020) was an American sedevacantist Catholic priest and author. Biography Early life Cekada was born to a Slovenian-Italian family as a third-generation American. He was raised in Milwaukee where ...
, and
Donald Sanborn Donald J. Sanborn (born February 19, 1950) is an American Traditionalist Catholic bishop who is known for his advocacy of sedeprivationism.
, reportedly sedevacantists in the 1970s, who were expelled with several other priests by Archbishop
Marcel Lefebvre Marcel François Marie Joseph Lefebvre (29 November 1905 – 25 March 1991) was a Catholic Church in France, French Catholic prelate who served as Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Dakar, Archbishop of Dakar from 1955 to 1962. He was a major inf ...
for holding this view. Nine of these priests later founded the
Society of Saint Pius V A society () is a group of individuals involved in persistent social interaction or a large social group sharing the same spatial or social territory, typically subject to the same Politics, political authority and dominant cultural expecta ...
(SSPV) in 1983. Dolan and Sanborn were later illicitly consecrated bishops. * Oswald Baker, an
English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Culture, language and peoples * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England * ''English'', an Amish ter ...
priest who was a known sedevacantist by at least 1982, and reportedly some time prior to that. *
Lucian Pulvermacher Lucian Pulvermacher (born Earl Pulvermacher, 20 April 1918 – 30 November 2009) was a traditionalist schismatic Roman Catholic priest and a modern-day antipope. He was the head of the True Catholic Church, a small conclavist group that elected h ...
, an American missionary priest who left the Catholic Church in 1976 and in 1998 was elected pope of the
conclavist A conclavist was a personal aide of a cardinal (Catholicism), cardinal present in a papal conclave. The term is sometimes used to refer to all present with a conclave, including the cardinal-electors, but is more properly applied only to the non-c ...
" True Catholic Church" with the
papal name A papal name or pontifical name is the regnal name taken by a pope. Both the head of the Catholic Church, usually known as the pope, and the pope of the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria (Coptic pope) choose papal names. , Leo XIV is the C ...
“Pius XIII”.


Sedevacantist bishops


Consecrated before Vatican II

The only known Catholic bishop consecrated before the Second Vatican Council who publicly became sedevacantist was Vietnamese Archbishop
Ngô Đình Thục Pierre Martin Ngô Đình Thục () (6 October 1897 – 13 December 1984) was a Vietnamese Catholic prelate who served as the Archbishop of Huế in the Republic of Vietnam from 1960 until 1968. He later lived in exile in Europe due to unrest ...
(consecrated in 1938), former Vicar Apostolic of
Vĩnh Long Vĩnh Long ɨn˨˩˦:lawŋ˧˧is a city and the capital of Vĩnh Long Province in Vietnam's Mekong Delta. Geography Vĩnh Long covers and has a population of 200,120 (as of 2018). The name was spelled 永 隆 ("eternal prosperity") in the form ...
,
Vietnam Vietnam, officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (SRV), is a country at the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia, with an area of about and a population of over 100 million, making it the world's List of countries and depende ...
and former Archbishop of
Huế Huế (formerly Thừa Thiên Huế province) is the southernmost coastal Municipalities of Vietnam, city in the North Central Coast region, the Central Vietnam, Central of Vietnam, approximately in the center of the country. It borders Quảng ...
, Vietnam. Bishop
Alfredo Méndez-Gonzalez Alfredo José Isaac Cecilio Francisco Méndez-Gonzalez (June 3, 1907 – January 28, 1995) was an American Catholic bishop who served in Puerto Rico and who later became involved with sedevacantists. Biography Early life Alfredo Méndez-Gon ...
(consecrated in 1960), former Bishop of
Arecibo Arecibo (; ) is a Arecibo barrio-pueblo, city and Municipalities of Puerto Rico, municipality on the northern coast of Puerto Rico, on the shores of the Atlantic Ocean, located north of Utuado, Puerto Rico, Utuado and Ciales, Puerto Rico, Ciale ...
,
Puerto Rico ; abbreviated PR), officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, is a Government of Puerto Rico, self-governing Caribbean Geography of Puerto Rico, archipelago and island organized as an Territories of the United States, unincorporated territo ...
, though not having publicly identified as a sedevacantist, associated himself with sedevacantist priests and consecrated a bishop for them.


Thục-line bishops

Some bishops derive their
episcopacy A bishop is an ordained member of the clergy who is entrusted with a position of authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance and administration of dioceses. The role ...
from Archbishop Thục or bishops of his lineage. Many of these bishops belong to the non-sedevacantist
Palmarian Catholic Church The Palmarian Catholic ChurchPalmarian Church. (2023)Who Are We? Palmarian Church (), officially registered as the Palmarian Christian Church, is an Independent Catholic traditionalist conclavist sect headquartered in El Palmar de Troya, Anda ...
; this is due to Thục having consecrated Bishop
Clemente Domínguez y Gómez Antipope Gregory XVII (; ; born Clemente Domínguez y Gómez; 23 May 1946 – 21 March 2005), also known by the religious name Fernando María de la Santa Faz, was the first Pope of the Palmarian Catholic Church, who in this capacity, claimed ...
, later the Pope of the Palmarian Church, and the episcopal consecrations within this organization. On 7 May 1981, Thục consecrated the sedeprivationist French priest
Michel-Louis Guérard des Lauriers Michel-Louis Guérard des Lauriers (25 October 1898 – 27 February 1988) was a French Dominican theologian who was illicitly made a bishop by Ngo Dinh Thuc and consequently excommunicated from the Catholic Church. He embraced ideas such as se ...
as a bishop. Des Lauriers was a French Dominican theologian and a papal advisor.M.L. Guérard des Lauriers, Dimensions de la Foi, Paris: Cerf, 1952. On 17 October 1981, Thục consecrated the sedevacantist Mexican priests
Moisés Carmona Moisés Carmona Rivera (31 October 1912 – 1 November 1991) was a sedevacantist traditionalist Catholic bishop from Acapulco, Guerrero, Mexico, who propagated sedevacantism in Mexico and was excommunicated from the Catholic Church. He ...
and Adolfo Zamora as bishops. Carmona and Zamora had been sedevacantist leaders and propagators in Mexico. The Vatican declared Thục ''
latae sententiae (Latin meaning: "of a judgment having been brought") and (Latin meaning: "of a judgment having to be brought") are ways sentences are imposed in the Catholic Church in its canon law. A penalty is a penalty the liability for which is imposed ...
''
excommunicated Excommunication is an institutional act of religious censure used to deprive, suspend, or limit membership in a religious community or to restrict certain rights within it, in particular those of being in communion with other members of the con ...
for these consecrations and for his declaration of Sedevacantism.


Méndez-line bishops

On 19 October 1993, in
Carlsbad, California Carlsbad is a beach city in the North County area of San Diego County, California, United States. The city is north of downtown San Diego and south of downtown Los Angeles. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population of ...
, United States, Bishop Méndez-Gonzalez consecrated the sedevacantist
Clarence Kelly Clarence James Kelly (November 23, 1941 – December 2, 2023) was an American Traditionalist Catholic bishop. He was a co-founder of the Society of Saint Pius V and the founder of the Congregation of Saint Pius V. Kelly was a sedevacanti ...
of the
Society of Saint Pius V A society () is a group of individuals involved in persistent social interaction or a large social group sharing the same spatial or social territory, typically subject to the same Politics, political authority and dominant cultural expecta ...
(SSPV) to the episcopacy. By Méndez's wish, the consecration was kept secret until his death in 1995.


Whose lineages derive from earlier movements

A considerable number of sedevacantist bishops are thought to derive their holy orders from Bishop
Carlos Duarte Costa Carlos Duarte Costa (July 21, 1888 – March 26, 1961) was a Brazilian bishop who became the founder of the Brazilian Catholic Apostolic Church, an Independent Catholic church, and its international communion, which long after his death bec ...
, who in 1945 set up his own independent
Brazilian Catholic Apostolic Church The Brazilian Catholic Apostolic Church (, ; ICAB) is an Independent Catholicism, Independent Catholic Christian denomination, Christian church established in 1945 by Excommunication in the Catholic Church, excommunicated Catholic Church in Brazi ...
. While Duarte Costa was not a sedevacantist, he instead questioned the papacy as an institution, denying
papal infallibility Papal infallibility is a Dogma in the Catholic Church, dogma of the Catholic Church which states that, in virtue of the promise of Jesus to Saint Peter, Peter, the Pope when he speaks is preserved from the possibility of error on doctrine "in ...
and rejecting the pope's universal jurisdiction. In further contrast to most Catholic traditionalists, Duarte Costa was
left-wing Left-wing politics describes the range of Ideology#Political ideologies, political ideologies that support and seek to achieve social equality and egalitarianism, often in opposition to social hierarchy either as a whole or of certain social ...
.


Groups

Sedevacantist groups include: *
Congregation of Mary Immaculate Queen The Congregation of Mary Immaculate Queen (; CMRI) is a sedevacantist Traditionalist Catholic religious congregation. The CMRI is dedicated to promoting the message of Our Lady of Fátima and the devotion of the practice of Total Consecrat ...
(CMRI), formed in 1967. It operates in North America, South America, Europe, and Asia and is based in
Omaha, Nebraska Omaha ( ) is the List of cities in Nebraska, most populous city in the U.S. state of Nebraska. It is located in the Midwestern United States along the Missouri River, about north of the mouth of the Platte River. The nation's List of United S ...
, United States. Its bishop is
Mark Pivarunas Mark Anthony Pivarunas (born 31 October 1958) is an American sedevacantist Traditionalist Catholic bishop and the Superior General of the Congregation of Mary Immaculate Queen (CMRI). Biography Early life and family Mark Anthony Pivarunas was ...
. * Most Holy Family Monastery (MHFM), a traditional Catholic monastery in Fillmore, New York, founded in 1967 and led by Michael and Peter Dimond. *
Society of Saint Pius V A society () is a group of individuals involved in persistent social interaction or a large social group sharing the same spatial or social territory, typically subject to the same Politics, political authority and dominant cultural expecta ...
(SSPV), formed in 1983 when nine American priests split from the
Society of Saint Pius X The Society of Saint Pius X (SSPX; ("Priestly Fraternity of Saint Pius X"), FSSPX) is a canonically irregular traditionalist Catholic priestly fraternity founded in 1970 by Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre. Lefebvre was a leading traditionalis ...
over a number of issues including using the liturgical books implemented under Pope John XXIII. It operates in North America from
Oyster Bay Cove, New York Oyster Bay Cove is a village located within the Town of Oyster Bay in Nassau County, on the North Shore of Long island, in New York, United States. It is considered part of the Greater Oyster Bay area, which is anchored by Oyster Bay. The popu ...
, United States, and was headed by Bishop
Clarence Kelly Clarence James Kelly (November 23, 1941 – December 2, 2023) was an American Traditionalist Catholic bishop. He was a co-founder of the Society of Saint Pius V and the founder of the Congregation of Saint Pius V. Kelly was a sedevacanti ...
until his death in December 2023. * (Priestly Society of Trent; SST), formed in 1993 by priests of the deceased Bishop
Moisés Carmona Moisés Carmona Rivera (31 October 1912 – 1 November 1991) was a sedevacantist traditionalist Catholic bishop from Acapulco, Guerrero, Mexico, who propagated sedevacantism in Mexico and was excommunicated from the Catholic Church. He ...
. Its bishop is
Martín Dávila Gandara Martín Dávila Gandara (born 12 May 1965) is a Mexican Sedevacantist bishop. He is the bishop of the ''Sociedad Sacerdotal Trento'' (Priestly Society of Trent). Biography Gandara was born into a Catholic family in Jalisco, Mexico, on 12 May 1 ...
.


Benevacantism

A separate minority position called
Benevacantism Benevacantism (a portmanteau of "Benedict" and "sedevacantism") is the fringe Catholic belief that Pope Benedict XVI did not validly resign the papacy in February 2013 and therefore remained pope, making Pope Francis an invalidly elected antip ...
(a
portmanteau In linguistics, a blend—also known as a blend word, lexical blend, or portmanteau—is a word formed by combining the meanings, and parts of the sounds, of two or more words together.
of "Benedict" and "''sedevacantism''") holds that
Pope Benedict XVI Pope BenedictXVI (born Joseph Alois Ratzinger; 16 April 1927 – 31 December 2022) was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 19 April 2005 until his resignation on 28 February 2013. Benedict's election as p ...
continued as pope following his resignation, with
Pope Francis Pope Francis (born Jorge Mario Bergoglio; 17 December 1936 – 21 April 2025) was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 13 March 2013 until Death and funeral of Pope Francis, his death in 2025. He was the fi ...
ruling as a heretical
antipope An antipope () is a person who claims to be Bishop of Rome and leader of the Roman Catholic Church in opposition to the officially elected pope. Between the 3rd and mid-15th centuries, antipopes were supported by factions within the Church its ...
. Since Benedict's death, some Benevacantists now hold to sedevacantism, while others considered Francis to be the Pope until Francis' death in 2025.


See also

* ''
Cum ex apostolatus officio ''Cum ex apostolatus officio'' is the name of a papal bull issued by Pope Paul IV in 1559; it states that only Catholics can be elected popes The pope is the bishop of Rome and the visible head of the worldwide Catholic Church. He is ...
'' *
Independent Catholicism Independent Catholicism is an independent sacramental movement of clergy and laity who self-identify as Catholic (most often as Old Catholic or as Independent Catholic) and form "micro-churches claiming apostolic succession and valid sacr ...
*
Integralism In politics, integralism, integrationism or integrism () is an interpretation of Catholic social teaching that argues the principle that the Catholic faith should be the basis of public law and public policy within civil society, wherever the ...
*
List of movements that dispute the legitimacy of a reigning monarch A list is a set of discrete items of information collected and set forth in some format for utility, entertainment, or other purposes. A list may be memorialized in any number of ways, including existing only in the mind of the list-maker, but ...


References


Bibliography

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *


Further reading

*


Criticism

* * * * * (concerning strict sedevacantists as well as conclavists) {{Second Vatican Council