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Man Urinates at St. Peter's Basilica Altar in Front of Crowd, Forcing Pope Leo to Order Purification: Reports
The pope ordered the ritual after the third altar desecration since 2023; the basilica closed briefly for prayers and purification on Oct. 13.
- On October 10, a man urinated on the Altar of the Confession at St. Peter's Basilica, shocking tourists who witnessed the act and leading to his arrest by security guards.
- Cardinal Mauro Gambetti held a penitential rite of reparation on October 13 to purify the altar with holy water after the act of desecration.
- This incident marks the second act of desecration at St. Peter's Basilica within a year, following a similar event in February involving damaged candelabras.
- Pope Leo XIV expressed his consternation regarding the incident and requested an act of reparation to restore the altar's sanctity.
14 Articles
14 Articles
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.
It's the third vandal act in a year and a half.
Pope Leo XIV has decided that St. Peter's Basilica in Rome must be reconsecrated, according to the Vatican newspaper Silere Non Possum. The church leader is taking action after a man urinated on the altar last Sunday. The incident has proven too much for the Vatican.
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