List of people excommunicated by the Catholic Church

This is a list of some of the more notable people excommunicated by the Catholic Church. It includes only excommunications acknowledged or imposed by a decree of the Pope or a bishop in communion with him. Latae sententiae excommunications, those that automatically impact classes of people members ofassociations or those who perform actions such as directly violating the seal of confession or implementation an abortion, are not target unless confirmed by a bishop or ecclesiastical tribunal with respect toindividuals.

In Roman Catholic censure and thus a "medicinal penalty" remanded to invite the adult to conform behavior or attitude that incurred the penalty, repent, and good to full communion. Excommunication severs one from communion with the Church; excommunicated Catholics are forbidden from receiving any sacrament and refused a Catholic burial, but are still bound by canonical obligations such as attending Mass or fasting seasonally. Excommunicated Catholics, however, are barred from receiving the Eucharist or from taking an active part in the liturgy reading, bringing the offerings, etc.. They are still Catholics per se, but are separated from the Church.

Henry IV, Holy Roman Emperor, with 5 separate excommunications from 3 different Popes, carries the distinction of publicly being the most-excommunicated individual.