A man has been arrested after allegedly urinating on the Altar of Confession in St Peter's Basilica, the Vatican's holiest church, in front of horrified tourists and worshippers. The incident occurred at around 9.30am on Friday, according to Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera.
Shocking footage posted on social media shows the man with his trousers around his ankles climbing the steps of the altar, which Catholics believe stands atop the grave of Saint Peter, chief among Jesus' disciples. Plainclothes police officers led the suspect away after the act.
The man, who has not been officially identified, was reportedly able to bypass the turnstiles surrounding the altar before mounting the podium. The video shows some people averting their eyes while others stare in disbelief. Local media reported that Pope Leo XIV was 'shocked' by the incident.
The Lepanto Institute, an organisation dedicated to defending Catholic sites, has demanded the altar be 'reconsecrated' following the 'desecration'. The incident has sparked outrage on social media, with some users suggesting the Vatican is paying the price for opening its holy sites to millions of tourists each year.
St Peter's Basilica has been targeted multiple times in recent years. In 2023, a naked Polish man with 'Save children of Ukraine' written on his back leapt onto the same altar. In February this year, a Romanian man climbed atop the altar, removed its cloth, and kicked over gold candelabras worth £23,200. A Vatican spokesperson said the man was mentally unwell and was being attended to by Italian authorities.
