Ultra-Conservative Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano Excommunicated by Vatican for Branding Pope Francis 'Servant of Satan'
The Vatican has excommunicated ultra-conservative Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano after finding him guilty of schism, one of the gravest crimes in canon law. Schism occurs when an individual withdraws submission to the Pope or his Catholic subjects.
Vigano, who served as the Vatican's ambassador to the US from 2011 to 2016, went into hiding in 2018 after accusing Pope Francis of knowing about US Cardinal Theodore McCarrick's sexual misconduct and failing to act. The Vatican has rejected these claims.
The 83-year-old archbishop also branded the Pope a "false prophet" and a "servant of Satan," calling for his resignation.
The Vatican's doctrinal office announced Vigano's excommunication on Friday, stating that his previous comments demonstrated a clear refusal "to recognize and submit" to the head of the Roman Catholic Church. Vigano had also rejected the legitimacy of liberal reforms made by the church in the 1960s.
The official statement read, "At the conclusion of the penal process, the Most Reverend Carlo Maria Vigano was found guilty of the reserved delict (violation of the law) of schism."
Excommunication means that Vigano is formally outside the church and cannot celebrate or receive its sacraments, such as communion. The ruling, though signed by the head of the Doctrine of the Faith office, likely had the Pope's approval.
Responding on X (formerly Twitter), Vigano remained unrepentant, urging Catholics to support him with a quote from Jesus in the New Testament: "If they keep quiet, the stones themselves will start shouting."
Over the years, Vigano has garnered a following of like-minded ultra-conservatives, delving into conspiracy theories and labeling the coronavirus pandemic as the "Great Reset." In a recent post on X, he criticized the Vatican's proceedings against him and accused Pope Francis of representing an "inclusive, immigrationist, eco-sustainable, and gay-friendly" church.
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