A man is accused of urinating on the Altar of Confession in St. Peter’s Basilica on Friday, prompting a swift response from security staff and drawing the attention of many visitors.
Security personnel and plainclothes police officers quickly intervened and escorted the man out of the church, multiple Italian news outlets reported. The incident took place in full view of a large crowd, and the footage circulated widely online.
Vatican officials had no immediate statement, although some reports indicated Pope Francis had been informed and was “shocked to hear of the news.”
The episode is the latest in a series of disturbances at the basilica in recent years. In February, another individual damaged ceremonial objects on the same altar the Catholic News Agency.
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“This is an episode of a person with a severe intellectual disability who was detained by the Vatican police and subsequently made available to the Italian authorities,” Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said. in a statement to ANSA.
A similar incident occurred in 2023, when a Polish man protested at the altar, prompting the Vatican to hold a penitential ritual afterward.
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The man reportedly undressed and climbed onto the altar, with the words “Save Children of Ukraine” written on his back.
“As Vatican Gendarmerie officers approached, the man did not resist but cooperated as they took him to the Vatican police station,” Vatican News reported at the time. “After his identity was confirmed, he was handed over to the Italian police and a deportation order was issued.”
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Under the Code of Canon Law (Canon 1211)serious acts committed in a holy place that cause scandal among the faithful are considered violations of the sanctity of the place. When this happens, public worship is suspended until a penitential rite is performed to restore the sanctity of the church.
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According to the Bishop’s Ceremony, such rituals – often a Mass or a Liturgy of the Word – should take place as soon as possible after a desecration.
Stepheny Price covers crime including missing persons, murders and migrant crime. Send story tips to stepheny.price@fox.com.
