Vatican holds ceremony after man climbs bare onto altar

A particular purification ceremony has been held on the principal altar of St Peter’s Basilica after it was desecrated by a person who stood on it bare to protest towards the conflict in Ukraine.

The prayer service, often known as a penitential ceremony and required by Canon regulation, was led by the basilica’s archpriest, Cardinal Mauro Gambetti.

The Polish man stripped off his garments and stood on the altar because the basilica was closing on Thursday.

He had an inscription painted on his again studying: “Save youngsters of Ukraine”.

Vatican guards handed him over to Italian police, who detained him and ordered him expelled from Italy.

On the prayer service, wherein the altar utilized by Pope Francis was blessed with holy water, Gambetti stated the person had dedicated a sinful and “inappropriate, really regrettable gesture” to carry consideration to the victims of conflict.

A Vatican supply stated on the time of the incident that the person additionally had self-inflicted cuts on his physique from his fingernails.

He was not recognized, however from footage taken by vacationers and posted on social media, he gave the impression to be in his late 20s or early 30s.

Australian Related Press