Reports claim Pope Leo XIV is ‘shocked’ by the incident, but the Vatican is yet to comment
Religious social media users have been up in arms after watching viral footage of a man urinating on a Vatican City altar during Mass.
On October 10, Holy Mass took place at St. Peter’s Basilica as usual at 9am, with hundreds of worshiping tourists in the congregation
During the ceremony, a man who is yet to be named is said to have suddenly headed to the Altar of Confession, widely regarded as one of the holiest sites in the Catholic faith.
After reaching the sacred space, the anonymous site visitor is reported to have dropped his pants and begun urinating on the papal altar where Pope Leo XIV personally celebrates his faith.
The man involved in the Eucharistic celebration incident was swiftly restrained and escorted out of the holy building by ‘plainclothes police officers present in the basilica, as per Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera.
It’s unclear whether the Pope was present at the Mass. The Vatican has not yet publicly commented on the incident.
Authorities have also not confirmed whether he has been arrested or charged with a crime.
Italian outlet Il Tempo, however, claimed the pontiff was ‘shocked’ to learn the Altar of Confession – sitting below Michelangelo’s dome – had been desecrated.
Local reports have been backed up by footage of the bizarre moment being widely shared across X, formerly known as Twitter.
Users have been branding the viral incident as both ’embarrassing’ and ‘disturbing’, with one going as far as to write: “Evil is showing itself.”
“If you try that at my church you’re going to need forgiveness and healing…,” replied someone else.
A third user wrote: “This is vile.”
“I am ok with this becoming a turning point moment. If the disgrace was intentional (it was) then the entire might of the punishment must be inevitable,” another commented.
Unfortunately, the basilica urination isn’t an isolated act of vandalism.
Earlier this year, a man knocked over six candelabras after climbing up onto the holy altar, according to the Catholic News Agency.
At that time, Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said in a statement to ANSA: “This is an episode of a person with a serious mental disability who has been detained by the Vatican Police and then placed at the disposal of the Italian authorities.”
In June 2023, a naked protester stood on the High Altar with ‘Save children of Ukraine’ scrawled across his back.
Vatican gendarmerie rushed to grab the man and forced him to put his clothes back on.
They then coaxed him to come down from the consecrated sanctum, which allows for the tomb of Saint Peter to be seen from above.
Following that incident, the Vatican performed a penitential rite to restore the altar’s sanctity, as required by liturgical law.
This act works to ‘restore the holiness of the place and to ask God’s forgiveness for the offense committed’, as per Silere non possum.
