Saint Peter’s Basilica, Vatican City: Man urinates on altar directly beneath Michelangelo’s famous dome

Worshippers at St Peter’s Basilica were left reeling on Friday morning after a man brazenly urinated on one of the Vatican’s holiest altars — during Mass and in full view of hundreds of stunned tourists.

The desecration unfolded inside the world’s most sacred church just after 9am, when the man climbed the marble steps of the Altar of Confession, the same altar where popes traditionally celebrate Holy Mass.

According to reports, the unidentified man dropped his trousers and began urinating over the site as horrified visitors watched in silence.

Security officers sprinted toward him as gasps echoed through the basilica.

He was dragged away, but not before he paused to pull up his jeans — flashing his bare backside to the congregation.

Videos filmed by tourists have since gone viral online, drawing disgust and disbelief.

“That is absolutely shocking and deeply disrespectful,” wrote one viewer.’

“This is vile,” said another.

“There is definitely not enough security here,” a third person added.

It’s unclear whether Pope Leo XIV was inside the basilica at the time, but reports suggest he was “shocked” when briefed on the incident, The Sun revealed.

The Vatican has yet to release an official statement.

The Altar of Confession, located directly beneath Michelangelo’s famous dome, is one of the most revered places in Catholicism and is where major papal ceremonies are held and, most recently, where Pope Francis was laid in state before his funeral in April.

Due to its significance, the altar has become a frequent target of intruders.

In February, a man knocked over six candelabras during Mass, while in June 2023, a naked Polish protester leapt onto the same altar with “Save children of Ukraine” scrawled across his back.

That incident prompted a penitential rite to restore the altar’s sanctity, a rare ceremony under canon law required when sacred grounds are defiled.

Friday’s act of desecration has reignited questions about security at the Vatican, where millions of visitors pour through each year and crowd around the altar to glimpse the grandeur of papal ceremonies.

Authorities have not confirmed whether the man has been arrested or charged. The Holy See Press Office has so far declined to comment.

The shocking stunt comes amid a broader crackdown on unruly tourists across Italy. Officials in Venice have doubled day-tripper entry fees, while two visitors were fined last year after stripping naked to swim beside the island cemetery of San Michele.

The repeated breaches at sacred and historic sites have left officials grappling with how to balance access and security.