Man Allegedly Urinates on Sacred Vatican Altar During Holy Mass, Shocking Hundreds

Pope Leo XIV Reportedly 'Shocked' by the Incident; Vatican Has Yet to Respond

Religious social media users are outraged after viewing viral footage of a man urinating on an altar in Vatican City during Mass.

On October 10, the usual 9am Holy Mass was held at St. Peter’s Basilica, attended by hundreds of worshiping tourists.

During the service, an unidentified man reportedly approached the Altar of Confession, considered one of the holiest sites in the Catholic faith.

Upon reaching the sacred area, the man allegedly dropped his pants and began urinating on the papal altar where Pope Leo XIV personally practices his faith.

The individual involved in the Eucharistic celebration incident was quickly restrained and removed from the holy site by plainclothes police officers present in the basilica, according to Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera.

Viral footage captured a man urinating at one of the most sacred Catholic sites (X/@Vitus_oss)

It remains unknown if the Pope attended the Mass. The Vatican has not yet issued a public statement regarding the incident.

Authorities have not confirmed if the individual has been arrested or charged with a crime.

However, the Italian outlet Il Tempo reported that the pontiff was ‘shocked’ to hear that the Altar of Confession, located beneath Michelangelo's dome, had been desecrated.

Local reports are supported by footage of the unusual moment being widely circulated on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Users have described the viral incident as both ‘embarrassing’ and ‘disturbing’, with one even stating: “Evil is showing itself.”

Reports indicate that the unidentified man was removed from the Holy church (X/@Vitus_oss)

“If you attempt that at my church, you'll need forgiveness and healing…,” someone else responded.

A third user commented: “This is vile.”

Another person stated, “I am okay with this becoming a pivotal moment. If the disgrace was deliberate (and it was), then the full force of the punishment must be certain.”

Regrettably, the act of urination at the basilica isn’t an isolated incident of vandalism.

Earlier this year, a man toppled six candelabras after climbing onto the holy altar, as reported by the Catholic News Agency.

At that time, Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni stated to ANSA: "This is an incident involving a person with a serious mental disability who has been detained by the Vatican Police and then handed over to the Italian authorities.”

In June 2023, a naked protester stood on the High Altar with ‘Save children of Ukraine’ written across his back.

The Vatican gendarmerie quickly intervened, compelling the man to dress again.

They then persuaded him to descend from the consecrated area, which offers a view of Saint Peter's tomb from above.

After the incident, the Vatican conducted a penitential rite to restore the altar's sanctity, as dictated by liturgical law.

This rite serves to 'restore the holiness of the place and to ask God's forgiveness for the offense committed', according to Silere non possum.