On Friday afternoon, October 11, an incident shocked the faithful visiting St. Peter’s Basilica, when a young man climbed onto the main altar and partially undressed.
Although no Mass was being celebrated at the time, thousands of pilgrims were present to take part in the Jubilee celebrations and to cross the Holy Door when the incident occurred.
According to reports, the man, believed to be in his mid-twenties to thirties, crossed the altar’s threshold before removing his trousers and underwear. The news was first reported by Silere non possum, a news portal dedicated to the Holy See and the Catholic Church.
As per their report, the Vatican Gendarmerie and security personnel intervened after several minutes, by which time the act had already taken place.
This is not the first such incident at the Basilica. In 2023, a man stripped completely naked and stood on the main altar to protest against the war in Ukraine, and in February this year, another man climbed the altar and knocked down the candelabras.
The latest incident and the apparent laxity of the security personnel has deeply disturbed the faithful in attendance and drawn widespread criticism from observers and Churchgoers alike.
outrageous