US EditionPurification Process Carried Out as Pope ‘Appalled’ After Man Urinates on His Altar in St Peter’s Basilica
The pope ordered the ritual after the third altar desecration since 2023; the basilica closed briefly for prayers and purification on Oct. 13.
- On Oct. 10, a man urinated on the Altar of the Confession at St. Peter's Basilica, prompting Pope Leo XIV to order urgent purification rites to restore holiness.
- Security lapses at the Altar of the Confession have occurred in recent years, as the offender bypassed barriers and climbed the altar steps to urinate, marking a third desecration in recent years.
- Hundreds of witnesses watched as the offender circumvented barriers, climbed the altar steps, and relieved himself, then plainclothes police officers removed and detained him.
- On Oct. 13 the basilica closed for a purification ritual that used prayers, psalms and holy water blessing of the altar, and a Vatican spokesperson confirmed the pope met Cardinal Mauro Gambetti.
- Cardinal Mauro Gambetti led a penitential rite invoking forgiveness and purification at the altar above the tomb of St. Peter, where the acting pontiff traditionally celebrates Mass.
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It is not the first time that the altar of the Confession, in the very heart of St. Peter's Basilica, has been desecrated with sacrilege. A foreign tourist violated the curfew and committed a grossly obscene act in front of dozens of worshipers.
Man Urinates at St. Peter's Basilica Altar in Front of Crowd, Forcing Pope Leo to Order Purification: Reports
The unidentified man circumvented barriers that surround the altar, climbed the steps and urinated on the holy structureMario Tomassetti - Vatican Media via Vatican Pool/Getty; Beytullah Eles/Anadolu via Getty Pope Leo XIV, A view of St. Peter's Basilica, one of the most remarkable landmarks in Rome, standing out with its impressive architecture and majestic dome in Vatican City, Vatican,NEED TO KNOWA man urinated on the Altar of the Confession…
At 12:30 on Monday 13 October closed the doors and Leo XIV began to bathe with blessed water the altar and naves with the recitation of some prayers given by the...
After Friday's incident, Leo XIV personally questioned the perpetrator.
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