ECONE, Switzerland (AFP) — An ultra-traditionalist breakaway Catholic group consecrated four new bishops on Wednesday in defiance of Pope Leo XIV, who had pleaded with them to turn back from what he called a “schismatic act”.

At a ceremony in Econe in southwest Switzerland, attended by thousands of worshippers from around the world and witnessed by AFP, the last two remaining bishops of the Society of Saint Pius X consecrated four new ones.

Two were French — Michel Poinsinet de Sivry and Marc Hanappier — one American, Michael Goldade, and one Swiss, Pascal Schreiber.