A man caused a commotion at the Vatican by urinating on the Altar of Confession during a sacred mass at St. Peter’s Basilica before being swiftly apprehended by authorities.
The individual, who remains unidentified, ascended the altar of the renowned church, removed his pants, and defiled the sacred site on Friday. Witnesses, including hundreds of tourists, were shocked as he urinated in front of them, close to Gian Lorenzo Bernini’s 17th-century Baldachin, the large bronze canopy above the high altar honoring the tomb of St. Peter.
Plainclothes officers promptly escorted the man out of the basilica. Smartphone videos captured the moment he pulled up his pants and exposed his buttocks to onlookers as authorities approached.
The incident occurred during the 9:00 am Holy Mass, although it is uncertain whether Pope Leo XIV was leading the service.
While no official statement has been issued by the Holy See Press Office, reports from local news sources indicate that the news reached the pope, who was reportedly taken aback by the incident. It remains unclear whether the individual was arrested or faced charges.
Matteo Bruni, the director of the Holy See Press Office, informed ANSA that the person involved had a severe mental disability. Vatican Police detained him and subsequently handed him over to Italian authorities.
This incident was not the first of its kind at the altar. In a previous occurrence in February, a man vandalized the main altar by throwing down six candelabras and attempting to remove the altar cloth before being swiftly apprehended by security personnel.
In a separate incident in June 2023, another individual approached the high altar at St. Peter’s Basilica. Although he did not disturb the altar, images shared online displayed the message “Save children of Ukraine” written on his back.
Vatican News reported that when approached by Vatican Gendarmerie officers, the man cooperated and was escorted to the Vatican police station. Following identity verification, he was transferred to Italian authorities according to the Italy-Holy See Treaty and received an expulsion order to leave Italian territory.
