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Video: Man urinates on altar during Holy Mass at Vatican City’s St Peter’s Basilica
Videos captured by stunned onlookers showed the man bending down to pull up his jeans moments after the act.
Hundreds of tourists attending a morning mass at St Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City were left horrified on Friday after a man urinated on the Altar of Confession, one of the holiest sites in the Roman Catholic Church.
According to a report by the New York Post, the shocking act occurred around 9 am inside the basilica when the unidentified man scaled the steps of the sacred altar, where the sitting Pope traditionally celebrates mass. The man dropped his pants and urinated on the marble floor of the holy site in full view of the congregation.
Videos captured by stunned onlookers showed the man bending down to pull up his jeans moments after the act. Police officers stationed nearby swiftly intervened, tackling and escorting the man out of the church. It remains unclear whether he was taken into custody or charged.
How did Pope react to the shocking act?
The incident has been described as a serious act of desecration within one of Christianity’s most sacred spaces. According to the Post, the incident was brought to the attention of Pope Leo XIV, who was said to be “shocked” upon hearing of the event.
The Holy See Press Office has not yet issued an official statement regarding the desecration.
Notably, St. Peter’s Basilica draws millions of visitors annually. The Altar of Confession, situated directly above St. Peter’s tomb, holds immense spiritual significance as it is reserved for the Pope’s masses and key liturgical ceremonies.
In February, a man climbed onto the same altar and smashed several candelabras, while in June 2023, a Polish man stripped naked atop the altar with “Save children of Ukraine” written on his back. Following that episode, Vatican officials held a penitential rite to re-sanctify the space.
