Society of Saint Pius X facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Society of Saint Pius X
Fraternitas Sacerdotalis Sancti Pii X
Logo of the Society of Saint Pius X
Abbreviation	SSPX FSSPX (official)
Orientation	Traditionalist Catholicism
Superior General	Davide Pagliarani
Bishops	6
Seminarians	264
Brothers	145
Sisters	250
Liturgy	Tridentine Mass
Headquarters	Menzingen, Switzerland
Founder	Marcel Lefebvre
Origin	1 November 1970; 55 years ago (1970-11-01)
Separated from	Catholic Church
Members	1,482 personnel
Priests	733
Other names	Priestly Fraternity of Saint Pius X Fraternité Sacerdotale Saint-Pie-X
Numbers include 6 bishops, 733 priests, 264 seminarians, 145 brothers, 88 oblates, and 250 sisters.

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The Society of Saint Pius X (SSPX) is a group of Catholic priests and followers. It was founded in 1970 by Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre. The SSPX aims to keep older traditions of the Catholic Church.

The Society is named after Pope Pius X, who was known for his traditional views. Members of the SSPX use the Tridentine Mass, which is an older form of the Catholic Mass in Latin. They also follow Church practices from before the Second Vatican Council, a major meeting of Church leaders in the 1960s.

On July 1, 2026, the SSPX consecrated new bishops without the Pope's permission. Because of this, the Catholic Church declared the entire Society of Saint Pius X to be separated from the main Church on July 2, 2026. This means their priests can no longer validly perform certain sacraments like confession and marriage according to the Catholic Church. The SSPX is currently led by Superior General Davide Pagliarani. It has over 700 priests and many followers around the world.

How the Society is Organized

A liturgy held at the society's St. Jude's Chapel, Philadelphia, U.S.

As of January 2026, the SSPX had 2 bishops and 733 priests. They serve in 77 countries, with 760 Mass centers and 159 priories (religious houses). The Society also has 144 religious brothers, 88 sister oblates, and 264 students training to be priests in five seminaries.

The SSPX has religious sisters too. In 2025, there were 245 sisters in 30 communities across 10 countries.

The Society is divided into different regions called districts and autonomous houses. Each is led by a superior. The SSPX has seminaries in Switzerland, Germany, France, Argentina, and the United States.

Leaders of the Society

Name	Nationality	Term
Abp Marcel Lefebvre	France	1970–1982
Fr Franz Schmidberger	Germany	1982–1994
Bp Bernard Fellay	Switzerland	1994–2018
Don Davide Pagliarani	Italy	2018–present

Lifestyle and Dress Code

The SSPX encourages traditional roles for men and women. For example, in their communities, fewer married women work outside the home, especially if they have children.

For Mass, the SSPX suggests "Sunday best" attire. Women are encouraged to wear skirts that cover their knees and avoid tight clothing. It is also common for women to wear a veil during prayer. Men are encouraged to wear suits and ties.

Publications

The SSPX has its own publishing houses. Angelus Press is the official publisher for the Society's international headquarters. In Italy, Edizioni Piane is their official publisher. Each region of the SSPX also has its own magazine, such as The Angelus in the US.

See also

In Spanish: Fraternidad Sacerdotal San Pío X para niños