VATICAN CITY — A man desecrated the Altar of Confession inside St. Peter’s Basilica on Friday after urinating on it during Holy Mass, in full view of hundreds of horrified visitors, according to local media reports.
Witnesses said the man climbed the steps leading to the altar — a sacred site where the pope often celebrates Mass — before exposing himself and urinating on the marble floor. Security personnel swiftly intervened and removed him from the area.
Footage taken by onlookers showed the man pulling up his jeans as officers restrained him and led him away. The incident caused visible distress among worshippers and tourists present at the basilica.
The Holy See Press Office has not yet issued a statement regarding the desecration. It remains unclear whether the individual has been arrested or charged.
Local reports said Pope Leo XIV was informed of the incident and expressed shock upon learning of the act.
