An Italian priest has been excommunicated from the Catholic Church for saying Pope Francis is not the real pope.

Father Natale Santonocito, 61, parish priest of the San Cesareo Church south-east of Rome, told the faithful in several videos posted on social media that “the pope is not the pope, he never was”.

After an internal investigation, the priest has now been banned from celebrating Mass, baptisms and other sacraments, or playing any active role in the life of the Church.

But the move has not deterred the defiant priest from sharing his controversial opinions in a new YouTube video on Wednesday.

In the video Father Santonocito, who was dressed in white clerical vestments, said: “I have to shout out this truth that many may find shocking.”

He added: “For 11 years we have had an antipope: the so-called Francis is not the pope, he never was because Benedict XVI, on February 11, 2013, never renounced the papacy.”