 Coccopalmerio was reported to have been one of the senior cardinals who, in preparing to announce the lifting of the excommunications of four leaders of the Society of Saint Pius X in January 2009, failed to take account of recent reports that one of them, Bishop Richard Williamson, was a Holocaust denier.He was appointed a five-year renewable term as a member of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith on 23 December 2010.On 18 February 2012, Pope Benedict XVI created him cardinal-deacon of San Giuseppe dei Falegnami.