(LifeSiteNews) — Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò believes that Pope Leo is playing a “rigged game” against the Society of St. Pius X (SSPX).
In exclusive comments made today, June 30, to LifeSiteNews, the former papal nuncio explained his disgust at the Pontiff’s message to SSPX Superior General Father Davide Pagliarani: Leo’s decision not to address him directly until just before the episcopal consecrations are to take place.
“Omnia parata sunt ad nuptias (Matthew 22:4). You don’t make an appeal two days before the scheduled date, when everything is ready, after having refused the request for an audience far in advance,” Viganò told LifeSiteNews.
“Leo begs for ‘the poetry of the meeting,’ [a phrase he used in] yesterday’s homily, after having refused to receive the SSPX for months,” he continued.
“Leo is playing a rigged game. This is the strategy used by those who want to cheat and appear to be something they are not.”
Viganò made his displeasure known early this morning when he tweeted a response to Pope Leo’s dramatic appeal to the SSPX not to go ahead with the consecrations, for which he has withheld permission.
Nell’imminenza delle Consacrazioni episcopali di Ecône, quando “omnia parata sunt ad nuptias”, giunge la
la patetica comunicazione con la quale Leone ricorda alla Fraternità San Pio X che “lacerare la Tunica inconsutile di Cristo è un peccato di estrema gravità” (viene da… pic.twitter.com/E72LbLD4Vb— Arcivescovo Carlo Maria Viganò (@CarloMVigano) June 30, 2026
READ: Archbishop Viganò states ‘Leo can’t wait to excommunicate us all’
This morning, June 30, Pope Leo released a letter dated June 29 to Fr. Pagliarani, the current head of the SSPX, his bishops, priests, and seminarians, as well as the lay faithful “connected” to the Society, warning that the episcopal consecrations (planned for July 1) would be a “schismatic act.”
He stated, “I urge you to consider carefully the spiritual good of the faithful, because the schismatic act you are about to undertake would deprive them of the licit and, in some cases, even valid reception of the Sacraments, which they love and seek for their sanctification.”
Pope Leo’s tone is a marked contrast to his cordiality toward other Christians with whom he has disagreements, notably Sarah Mullally, the head of the schismatic Anglican Communion. It is also a contrast to the attitude of his predecessor, Pope Francis, toward the SSPX, for the Argentinian pontiff granted the Society both official permission to hear confessions and to assist at weddings.
Currently, thousands of faithful are streaming towards Êcone, Switzerland, for the consecrations of Fathers Michael Goldade (USA), Pascal Schreiber (Switzerland), Michael Poinsinet de Sivry, and Marc Hanappier (France) to the episcopate. These will be performed by Bishops Alfonso de Galarreta (Argentina) and Bernard Fellay (Switzerland).
LifeSiteNews’ John-Henry Westen has been reporting from Êcone and a livestream of July 1’s ceremonies will be available at LifeSiteNews very early tomorrow morning.
READ: Pope Leo tells SSPX ‘schismatic act’ would deprive faithful of ‘licit’ READ