Marcel Lefebvre, a former archbishop of Tulle, became a prominent figure in the traditionalist movement within the Roman Catholic Church, advocating for the preservation of traditional liturgical practices and teachings in opposition to the reforms of the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965). On July 2, 1988, Lefebvre was excommunicated along with four bishops whom he had consecrated in a ceremony that was deemed unauthorized by the Vatican. The consecrations occurred in Switzerland, a location chosen to hold the ceremony without interference from the Church hierarchy, which openly opposed his actions.

The Vatican, led by Pope John Paul II, viewed this act as a severe violation of canonical law, marking a significant rift between traditionalists and the ecclesiastical authority of the Church. Lefebvre's actions were characterized by an assertion of autonomy from papal directives, which he and his followers believed represented a deviation from authentic Catholic doctrine. The excommunication underscored the tensions between modernist reforms and traditionalist viewpoints, placing Lefebvre and his bishops outside the communion of the Roman Catholic Church, a status they would maintain for years afterward.

In the wake of these events, Lefebvre established the Society of Saint Pius X (SSPX) as a means to continue his ministry and promote traditional liturgical practices. The excommunication had far-reaching implications, as it intensified the polarization within the Catholic Church regarding liturgical practices and theological interpretations. Lefebvre's followers viewed him as a martyr for traditionalism, while the Vatican sought to reaffirm its authority and control over Church governance. This schism would reveal deeper divisions within the Church, affecting relations in the Catholic community worldwide, as issues of authority, adherence to tradition, and modernity came to the forefront of ecclesiastical discourse.