Man desecrates altar of St. Peter's Basilica

Michie · Sunday at 8:20 AM

A man urinated on the Altar of Confession of St. Peter's Basilica on Friday before being taken away by security officers in the famous basilica, according to news reports.

The man climbed the altar and "urinated under the stunned gaze of hundreds of tourists," according to the newspaper Corriere della Sera's Rome edition. Video of the desecration was widely shared on social media.

Il Tempo reported that the man "was promptly reached by plainclothes police officers present in the basilica" and was escorted out of the church.

The latter newspaper claimed Pope Leo XIV was "shocked to learn of the news," though the Holy See Press Office had not released a statement about the incident as of Oct. 11.

Continued below.

Man desecrates altar of St. Peter's Basilica, detained by security

The man climbed the altar and "urinated under the stunned gaze of hundreds of tourists," according to the Roman newspaper Corriere Della Sera.

www.catholicnewsagency.com

Michie · 2025-10-14T05:48:09-0500

Cardinal Mauro Gambetti, archpriest of St. Peter’s Basilica and vicar general of the pope for Vatican City, presided Oct. 13 over a penitential rite of reparation at the main altar of the church following a serious act of desecration that had taken place on Oct. 10.

After a penitential procession that began at 12:45 p.m. local time, Gambetti sprinkled the altar with holy water and incensed it to purify it.

The rite, attended by members of the chapter of the Vatican basilica, emphasized asking God for “forgiveness” for the desecration, Father Enzo Fortunato, director of communications for St. Peter’s Basilica, told ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner.

On Friday, Oct. 10, a man whose identity has not been revealed was arrested by security guards after he climbed onto the Altar of the Confession, located under Bernini’s baldachin, and urinated on it while tourists looked on in astonishment.

Continued below.

Cardinal presides over act of reparation in St. Peter’s following desecration

Cardinal Mauro Gambetti presided over a penitential rite of reparation at the main altar of St. Peter’s Basilica following a serious act of desecration on Oct. 10.

www.catholicnewsagency.com

RileyG · 2025-10-14T14:07:59-0500

ugh Lord have mercy! I wonder if he had a mental illness?

FaithT · 2025-10-14T15:47:22-0500

Michie said:
Cardinal Mauro Gambetti, archpriest of St. Peter’s Basilica and vicar general of the pope for Vatican City, presided Oct. 13 over a penitential rite of reparation at the main altar of the church following a serious act of desecration that had taken place on Oct. 10.

After a penitential procession that began at 12:45 p.m. local time, Gambetti sprinkled the altar with holy water and incensed it to purify it.

The rite, attended by members of the chapter of the Vatican basilica, emphasized asking God for “forgiveness” for the desecration, Father Enzo Fortunato, director of communications for St. Peter’s Basilica, told ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner.

On Friday, Oct. 10, a man whose identity has not been revealed was arrested by security guards after he climbed onto the Altar of the Confession, located under Bernini’s baldachin, and urinated on it while tourists looked on in astonishment.

Continued below.

Cardinal presides over act of reparation in St. Peter’s following desecration

Cardinal Mauro Gambetti presided over a penitential rite of reparation at the main altar of St. Peter’s Basilica following a serious act of desecration on Oct. 10.

www.catholicnewsagency.com

Ugh

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Man desecrates altar of St. Peter's Basilica

Michie

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