Marcel Lefebvre

French ecclesiastic, a Roman Catholic priest and Archbishop in Switzerland. An ultra-conservative, he was opposed to changes deemed by the Vatican II, and declared that he would consecrate four bishops without the approval of the Holy See. He brought his long-running feud with the Vatican to a dramatic climax in mid-1988, but conducting the ages-old ceremony of appointing the four bishops, and in so-doing, got himself excommunicated.

Lefebvre was one of eight kids born to a textile manufacturer. Pius from childhood, he gained the nickname Angel when he studied for the priesthood in Rome. Pictures of him as a missionary in Africa show him in a beard and pith helmet, brandishing a crucifix and missal. After a brief return to France, he was made a Bishop in 1947 by Pope Pius XII and went to Dakar, Senegal, where he soon became Archbishop and papal delegate for all of West Africa. Returning to France to stay in 1962, he was called to participate in Vatican II and there the trouble began.

From 1965 to 1969, Vatican reforms were gradually introduced to which Lefebvre objected. He acted upon his dissention by founding his own order, the Fraternity of St. Pius X, and by establishing a seminary in the lovely village of Econe, Switzerland. In 1976, in defiance of a Vatican order, he ordained 14 priests. He was immediately suspended by Paul VI, banning him from celebrating Mass or administering the sacraments. He ignored the edict.

In the following years there were countless attempts to mediate a compromise but all failed. Lefebvre stubbornly held to the moral high ground of his beliefs even though the church does not allow, let alone encourage, independent policies.

The Vatican apparently ignored him, as he was advancing in age and could remain troublesome for only so long.