(ZENIT News / Rome, 02.06.2025).- An new Italian priest has been excommunicated after publicly declaring that Pope Francis is an «antipope.» Father Natale Santonocito, a 61-year-old parish priest from the Diocese of Tivoli and Palestrina, southeast of Rome, has been stripped of his ministerial duties and automatically excommunicated following a series of online videos in which he questioned the validity of Francis’ papacy.

His defiant stance, rooted in the claim that Pope Benedict XVI never truly abdicated, mirrors a rising undercurrent of skepticism within a faction of Catholics who have refused to recognize the authority of Francis since Benedict’s resignation in 2013. The Vatican’s swift response signals its determination to curb what it sees as a dangerous theological rebellion.

Father Santonocito, ordained in 2023, first attracted attention in December 2024 when he posted videos on social media declaring, “The Pope is not the Pope. He never was.” In subsequent statements, he argued that Benedict XVI’s resignation on February 11, 2013, did not fulfill the canonical requirements for a valid abdication, making Francis’ election illegitimate.

“Benedict did not renounce the munus petrinum—the divine office of the papacy—only the ministerium, meaning the practical exercise of power,” Santonocito insisted. His reasoning hinges on a technical interpretation of Canon 332 §2 of the Code of Canon Law, which outlines the conditions for a valid papal resignation.

The priest doubled down on his claims in a final video statement on January 29, wearing white vestments as he told viewers, “For 11 years, we have had an antipope.”

Following these declarations, Bishop Mauro Parmeggiani of Tivoli and Palestrina launched an urgent investigation, concluding that Santonocito’s remarks were incompatible with his role as a Catholic priest. In a formal statement, the diocese announced his automatic excommunication under Canons 751 and 1364 §1, which apply to heresy and schism, warning the faithful against embracing his views.

Santonocito is not alone in his public rejection of Pope Francis. His excommunication marks the latest in a series of disciplinary actions taken against clergy who have openly questioned the legitimacy of the sitting pontiff.

One year earlier, Father Roman Guidetti of Livorno delivered a homily on the anniversary of Benedict XVI’s death, proclaiming, “Francis is not the Pope… he is a usurper.” His bishop, Simone Giusti, declared the sermon a public act of schism, resulting in his immediate excommunication.

The controversy extends beyond Italy. In November 2024, Argentine priest Fernando María Cornet faced excommunication after publishing Habemus Antipapam?, a book challenging Francis’ papacy. Cornet argued that only one man can hold the papal office at a time, leading him to the conclusion that “if Benedict remained the true pope, then Francis must be an antipope.”

That same month, Father Giorgio Maria Faré, a Carmelite priest, was expelled from his religious order after releasing a video alleging that Francis had fallen into “multiple heresies,” rendering his election invalid. Faré went further, calling on cardinals appointed before 2013 to take action by convening a conclave to elect a new pope.

The Vatican has remained unwavering in its rejection of these claims, emphasizing that Benedict XVI himself repeatedly affirmed the legitimacy of his resignation and recognized Francis as his successor. In official statements, the Church has dismissed conspiracy theories surrounding the 2013 conclave as baseless, reaffirming the validity of Francis’ election.

Canon law is clear: public rejection of a legitimate pope constitutes schism, a grave offense that results in automatic excommunication. The Vatican’s response to cases like Santonocito’s indicates a zero-tolerance approach to clergy who spread what it considers to be theological misinformation.

While dissent within the Church is not new, the persistence of these challenges highlights an enduring fracture among certain Catholics. The excommunications of Santonocito, Guidetti, Cornet, and Faré serve as a stark reminder that questioning the authority of the pope comes with severe consequences.

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