They excommunicate Italian priest for affirming that Francisco is not the Pope

Fr. Natale Santocito, of the Diocese of Palestrina (Italy), was excommunicated by Schism by rejecting the authority of Pope Francis.

The decision was announced on Tuesday In a statement Signed by Diocesan Chancellor, P. Jean Willy Bomoi Nkandans. The text justifies the decision in compliance with the canon 751 and the Case 1 of Canon 1364 of the Canon Law Code.

The first defines the schism as “the rejection of subjection to the pontiff or communion with church members subjected”, while the second penalizes it with excommunication automaticthat is automatic.

The statement also informs that the priest sanction decree was issued on January 20, after a criminal process for his statements against the pontiff on social networks.

Fr. Santocito published a video on December 8, 2024 in which he states that “for eleven years we have an antipapa. The so -called Francisco is not Pope, it has never been because Benedict XVI, on February 11, 2013, did not give up the papacy. ”

After being reprimanded by the Bishop of Palestrina, Mons. Mauro Parmeggiani, who limited his ministerial powers as a precautionary measure, a statement was published to “help the faithful to orient” before the statements of the priest.

Days later, on December 14, Fr. Santocito published another video to reiterate his statements. Given this, he opened a criminal process that culminated with the excommunication and sanctions established in the canon 133.

The sanctions prohibit him from celebrating the sacraments and receiving them. Nor can it administer sacramental, participate in liturgical celebrations or exercise ecclesiastical positions.

Fr. Natale Santocito is not the first priest excommunicated by ignoring the authority of Pope Francis. In January 2024, the diocese of Livorno (Italy) excommunicated Fr. Ramón Guidetti for calling the “usurper” pontiff and not recognizing him as Pedro’s successor.

The same happened in Argentina with Fernando María Cornet, expelled in addition to the clerical state, and with the priests Pablo de Jesús Tamayo Rodríguez in Costa Rica and Leonardo Holtz Peixoto in Brazil.

But the most popular case is that of the Italian Archbishop Carlo María Viganó, former apostolicnunciation in the United States between 2011 and 2016 and excommunicated in July 2024 for “its refusal to recognize and submit to the high pontiff.”