The unnamed man urinates on the Altar of Confession inside St Peter’s Basilica
Pope Leo XIV is said to have been appalled after a man urinated on the high altar at St Peter’s Basilica.
The American pontiff ordered purification rites to be carried out inside one of Christianity’s holiest sites following the incident.
The man, whose identity and nationality have not been disclosed, was caught urinating on the Altar of Confession, which is located above the tomb of St Peter – the first pope and one of Christianity’s most revered saints.
The altar is where the Pope typically performs Mass.
As the man was apprehended by two officials, he bent over to pull up his trousers, exposing his backside to crowds of faithful who were visiting the basilica. Video of the incident was widely shared on social media.
He was arrested by gendarmes – the Vatican’s own police force – and is believed to remain in custody.
Pontiff orders ‘urgent’ response
The Pope is said to have been appalled by the act of desecration and ordered a purification ceremony to be carried out “urgently”.
He held a meeting with Cardinal Mauro Gambetti, a senior figure with responsibility for the basilica, to discuss how to proceed.
The basilica, the centrepiece of the Vatican City State, was temporarily closed to the public on Monday.
Prayers and psalms were read out and holy water was sprinkled on the altar, which is located beneath a vast bronze canopy known as the Baldacchino, sculpted in the 17th century.
A Vatican spokesman confirmed to The Telegraph that the purification ceremony had been carried out.
The American pontiff, elected in May as the successor to Pope Francis, was anxious “to restore the holiness of the place and ask forgiveness from God,” according to reports.
The body of Pope Francis was laid out near the altar after his death in April.
Third act of desecration at site
This is the third time in two years that the high altar has been desecrated. In February, a man leapt on to the altar, shouted insults and pulled down six historic candelabras, leaving them badly damaged.
In 2023, a Polish man stripped off his clothes and stood naked on the altar in a protest against the war in Ukraine. He had the words “save children in Ukraine” written on his back in black marker pen.
After that incident, the Vatican performed a penitential rite to cleanse the site, similar to the ceremony that was held on Monday.
St Peter’s Basilica was consecrated in 1626 by Pope Urban VIII, replacing an earlier basilica that stood on the site for more than 1,000 years.
Renaissance artists Raphael and Michelangelo both worked on the design of the new basilica.
