The valley of Écône in the Swiss canton of Valais provided a striking backdrop to the Society of St Pius X’s episcopal consecrations. The meadow where, just as in 1988, the liturgy took place sits right below the Society’s flagship seminary, with vineyards and rows of apricot trees flowing down to an electrical substation, with steep, snow-capped mountains rising on either side of the valley. For the episcopal consecrations, white baseball caps branded “Écône 2026” were handed out to the thousands of SSPX faithful who filled the meadow.
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At Écône, schism was greeted with celebration
The jubilant atmosphere surrounding the SSPX’s episcopal consecrations suggested that what was once presented as an emergency measure has become a defining feature of the Society’s understanding of itself
Rose Lyddon
7 min read
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