Ethan Walker
Sedevacantism is a belief held by a small minority of Catholics that the current pope is invalid and that the See of Rome is vacant. The term comes from the Latin sede vacante, meaning the seat being vacant. Sedevacantists reject the theological and disciplinary changes implemented following the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965), including the Mass of Paul VI, promulgated on 3 April 1969, which they deem blasphemous. They also reject the teachings of the Second Vatican Council as heretical and believe that the sacrament of Holy Orders is invalid, along with other sacraments like Confirmation and Penance. The number of sedevacantists is difficult to measure, with estimates ranging from tens of thousands to a few hundred thousand worldwide, mostly concentrated in the United States, Mexico, Canada, France, the United Kingdom, and Italy.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| What is Sede Vacantist Catholicism? | The belief that the Catholic Church has been without a true pope since the death of Pope Pius XII in 1958. |
| What is the origin of the term? | The term is derived from the Latin phrase "sede vacante" meaning "the chair/seat being vacant". |
| Who are Sede Vacantists? | A small minority of traditionalist Catholics who believe the teachings of the Catholic Church have been corrupted. |
| How many Sede Vacantists are there? | Estimates range from 10,000 to 30,000, but the exact number is unknown and difficult to measure. |
| What do Sede Vacantists believe? | That the popes since 1958 have been illegitimate due to heresy and that the true papacy has been vacant since the death of Pope Pius XII. Some believe the last legitimate pope was Pope Pius XI or Pope Pius X. |
| How do they differ from mainstream Catholics? | Sede Vacantists reject the authority of the current pope and the teachings of the Second Vatican Council, believing them to be contrary to traditional Catholic doctrine. |
| Are there different factions within Sede Vacantisim? | Yes, different groups may have varying opinions on the precise moment the papacy became vacant and have elected their own popes. |
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What You'll Learn
Sedevacantists reject the Second Vatican Council
Sedevacantism is a traditionalist Catholic movement that originated from the rejection of the theological and disciplinary changes implemented following the Second Vatican Council (1962–1965). The term comes from the Latin sede vacante, meaning "the chair [of the Bishop of Rome] being vacant". It specifically refers to the vacancy of the Holy See that occurs between the pope's death or renunciation and the election of a successor.
Sedevacantists hold that the infallible Magisterium of the Catholic Church could not have decreed the changes made in the name of the Second Vatican Council. They conclude that those who issued these changes were not acting with the authority of the Catholic Church. As a result, they believe that Pope John XXIII and his successors have departed from the true Catholic Church and lost their legitimate authority. Most sedevacantists consider that this Great Apostasy began with the Second Vatican Council, but there is disagreement on whether the last legitimate Pope was John XXIII or Pius XII.
Sedevacantists also reject the legitimacy of popes who reigned before Vatican II. For example, a sedevacantist sect called "Our Lady's Resistance" rejects the legitimacy of every Pope after Pius X. They argue that the Code of Canon Law contains evil laws, which proves that it could not have been promulgated by a true Pope.
The number of sedevacantists is difficult to determine, but estimates range from tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands worldwide, with concentrations in countries such as the United States, Mexico, Canada, France, the United Kingdom, and Italy.
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They believe the Pope is an imposter
Sedevacantism is a traditionalist Catholic movement whose adherents, known as sedevacantists, believe that the current Pope is an imposter. The term sedevacantism comes from the Latin sede vacante, meaning "the chair [of the Bishop of Rome] being vacant". Sedevacantists believe that the current occupant of the Holy See is not a valid pope due to their espousal of heretical teachings, and that the See of Rome has been vacant since the death of Pope Pius XII in 1958. They reject the theological and disciplinary changes implemented following the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965), including the Mass of Paul VI promulgated on 3 April 1969, which they deem blasphemous. They also label post-Vatican II teachings as heresies and conclude that the popes involved are false.
The number of sedevacantists is unknown but is estimated to be between several tens of thousands and more than two hundred thousand worldwide, with the majority located in the United States, Mexico, Canada, France, the United Kingdom, Italy, and other countries. Sedevacantist groups vary in size and organisation, ranging from small independent groups to larger organised communities. Some sedevacantists believe that the last legitimate pope was Pope Pius XI (1922-1939) or Pope Pius X (1903-1914), while others trace the vacancy to different pontiffs or even as far back as the year 1130.
Sedevacantists hold that the Church is currently going through a very long interregnum, a period between the death or resignation of a pope and the election of their successor. They believe that the popes who have occupied the position since the Second Vatican Council are illegitimate and heretical antipopes. As a result, they reject the reforms to the sacramental rites and believe that the sacrament of Holy Orders is invalid in the "Vatican II Church". This leads them to conclude that the priests and bishops ordained according to the reformed rites are not real priests and bishops, rendering any Masses or sacraments celebrated by them invalid.
Some sedevacantists also believe that the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI was invalid, and that he remained the true pope until his death on December 31, 2022, with Pope Francis reigning as an antipope. This belief is known as Benevacantism, a portmanteau of "Benedict" and "sedevacantism". It is important to note that sedevacantism is held by only a small fraction of Catholics and is not recognised or supported by the official hierarchy of the Catholic Church.
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There are tens of thousands of sedevacantists
Sedevacantism is a traditionalist Catholic movement that believes that the occupier of the Holy See is not a valid pope due to their espousal of one or more heresies. The term sedevacantism is derived from the Latin phrase "sede vacante", which means "the chair [of the Bishop of Rome] being vacant". Sedevacantists believe that the Catholic Church cannot and has not failed, and that the great apostasy predicted by St. Paul in his Epistle to the Thessalonians has taken place. They also believe that the pope can do no wrong and that the Church is infallible and indefectible.
The number of sedevacantists is estimated to be in the tens of thousands, with some estimates ranging from 10,000 to 30,000. However, it is difficult to measure the exact number as sedevacantism is held by only a tiny fraction of those who identify as Catholics. Sedevacantists are not recognized or supported by the official hierarchy of the Catholic Church, and they are considered to be a phenomenon that is not going away anytime soon.
Sedevacantists argue that the last legitimate pope was Pope Pius XI (1922-1939) or Pope Pius X (1903-1914), and that the changes implemented during their respective pontificates deviated from the traditional teachings and practices of the Church. They also reject the theological and disciplinary changes implemented following the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965), including the Mass of Paul VI promulgated on 3 April 1969, which they deem blasphemous.
Some sedevacantist groups have taken matters into their own hands and elected their own popes. For example, in the United States, a former Capuchin priest was elected "Pope Pius XIII" in Washington State, and in Kansas, a former seminarian was elected "Pope Michael" by a handful of Catholics, including his parents. These groups generally hold that in the past century or so, the Popes were not validly elected, and therefore subsequent Popes were chosen by non-Cardinals, making them invalid as well.
Sedevacantism has its origins in the mid-1960s as a response to the Second Vatican Council in the Roman Catholic Church. The earliest proponents of sedevacantism were the Mexican Jesuit priest Joaquín Sáenz y Arriaga and the American Francis Schuckardt, who both concluded that the Holy See was vacant and that the Church that emerged from the Second Vatican Council was no longer Catholic.
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They reject the teachings of Vatican II
It is difficult to ascertain exact numbers, but it is estimated that there are between 100,000 and 200,000 Sede Vacantist Catholics worldwide. These are individuals who adhere to an extreme traditionalist Catholic belief that rejects the legitimacy of the current and recent popes. The term "Sede Vacante" refers to the vacancy of the papal seat, and these Catholics believe that the Holy See has been unoccupied since the death of Pope Pius XII in 1958. This rejection of papal authority is closely tied to their stance on the teachings of the Second Vatican Council, commonly known as Vatican II.
Sede Vacantists strongly oppose the reforms and teachings that emerged from Vatican II, which took place from 1962 to 1965. This ecumenical council brought about significant changes in the Catholic Church, aiming to modernize certain practices and promote ecumenism and interfaith dialogue. However, Sede Vacantists view these changes as a betrayal of traditional Catholic doctrine and a corruption of the true faith. They argue that the council's teachings contradicted previous Church dogma and introduced novelties that undermined the purity and integrity of Catholic tradition.
One of the primary points of contention for Sede Vacantists is the council's approach to religious liberty. Vatican II's Declaration on Religious Freedom, known as "Dignitatis Humanae," asserted that all individuals have the right to freedom of thought, conscience, and religion. This included the freedom to choose and practice one's religion without coercion. However, Sede Vacantists argue that this teaching contradicts previous Church doctrine, which had emphasized the social and moral obligation to adhere to the one true faith, Catholicism. They believe that the council's stance on religious liberty compromises the Church's missionary efforts and undermines the urgency of converting non-Catholics.
Another area of disagreement is the council's emphasis on ecumenism and interfaith dialogue. Sede Vacantists accuse Vatican II of promoting a false sense of religious equality and blurring the lines between Catholicism and other faiths. They argue that the council's efforts to find common ground with other Christian denominations and religions compromise the uniqueness and exclusivity of the Catholic Church's claim to be the one true faith. This, they believe, undermines the Church's missionary mandate and leads to a dilution of Catholic doctrine in the name of unity.
Sede Vacantists also take issue with the liturgical reforms that followed Vatican II. These reforms included the use of vernacular languages in the Mass, changes to the liturgy, and a greater emphasis on the participation of the laity. Sede Vacantists view these changes as a rupture with the Church's sacred tradition and a dilution of the sacred nature of the Mass. They argue that the reforms have led to a loss of reverence and a decline in liturgical discipline, detracting from the solemnity and mystery that had characterized Catholic worship for centuries.
In summary, Sede Vacantist Catholics reject the teachings of Vatican II because they believe the council introduced innovations and reforms that contradict traditional Catholic doctrine and practice. Their stance is rooted in a desire to preserve the purity and integrity of the faith, as they understand it, and they see the council as a turning point that led the Church astray. While their numbers are relatively small, their conviction runs deep, and they remain a distinct and vocal minority within the broader Catholic world.
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Sedevacantism is a traditionalist Catholic movement
The movement's origins lie in the rejection of theological and disciplinary changes introduced after the Second Vatican Council. Sedevacantists interpret the council's documents on ecumenism and religious liberty as contradicting the traditional teachings of the Catholic Church. They view these changes as undermining the historical Catholic faith and deem them blasphemous. Sedevacantists conclude that the popes involved in these reforms are false.
Sedevacantists hold that Pope John XXIII and his successors have deviated from the true Catholic Church and lost their legitimate authority. They believe that the Great Apostasy, or the abandonment of the Catholic faith, began with the Second Vatican Council. There is some disagreement within the movement regarding the last legitimate pope, with some considering it to be John XXIII and others, Pius XII.
The number of sedevacantists is difficult to determine, with estimates ranging from tens of thousands to over two hundred thousand worldwide. They are primarily concentrated in countries like the United States, Mexico, Canada, France, the United Kingdom, Italy, and others. Sedevacantist groups vary in size, ranging from small independent groups to larger organized communities. Despite their differing interpretations of specific events and timelines, sedevacantists share a core belief in the vacancy of the papal office and the need to uphold traditional Catholic teachings.
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Frequently asked questions
Sede Vacantism is a belief held by some traditionalist Catholics that there is currently no valid pope, and therefore the "seat is vacant". This belief is based on the idea that the current and past popes have been illegitimate and heretical antipopes since the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965).
The exact number of Sede Vacantist Catholics is unknown, but estimates range from tens of thousands to a few hundred thousand worldwide. Most of them are concentrated in the United States, Mexico, Canada, France, the United Kingdom, Italy, and other countries.
Sede Vacantists believe that the popes since the Second Vatican Council have accepted and taught heretical doctrines, such as those related to ecumenism and religious liberty, which contradict the traditional teachings of the Catholic Church. They also reject the revised Mass rite and post-conciliar church teachings.
Yes, some Sede Vacantist groups have elected their own popes to end the perceived vacancy in the Holy See. However, these popes are not recognized by the official Catholic Church or the majority of Catholics.
