TOURISTS were left stunned as a man brazenly urinated on a Vatican altar during Holy Mass – in full view of hundreds of worshippers.
The shocking act of desecration unfolded inside St Peter’s Basilica on Friday morning.
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A man brazenly urinated on a Vatican altar during Holy MassCredit: X
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This happened in full view of hundreds of worshippers inside St Peter’s BasilicaCredit: X
The unidentified man climbed the steps of the Altar of Confession – one of the most sacred spots in Catholicism, where the pope himself traditionally celebrates mass.
Once at then top, he dropped his trousers to his ankles and began urinating over the holy site, according to Corriere della Sera.
The disgusting scene took place during the 9am Holy Mass where stunned visitors looked on in disbelief.
Security officers raced towards the man as the crowd gasped.
Cops grabbed him and dragged him away from the altar as he finished his vile act.
But before they could escort him out, the man bent down so he could pull up his jeans – flashing his bare backside to the horrified onlookers.
The clip, filmed by shocked tourists, has since gone viral online.
“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 remains unclear whether Pope Leo XIV was present at the time.
The Vatican has not yet released an official statement.
But according to reports, the Pope was “shocked” when he heard what had happened.
The Altar of Confession sits directly beneath Michelangelo’s dome and is considered one of the holiest places in the catholic world.
It’s where the pope often celebrates major masses – and where, in April, Pope Francis was laid in response for public viewing before his funeral.
Because of its significance, the Altar has repeatedly been targeted by intruders in recent years.
In February, a man climbed onto the same altar and knocked six candelabras to the floor.
In February, a man climbed onto the same altar and knocked six candelabras to the floor.
In June 2023, a naked Polish man leapt onto the altar during Mass.
He didn’t speak or cause further damage, but he had the words “Save children of Ukraine” scrawled across his back.
Following that stunt, the Vatican held a penitential rite to cleanse the grounds – a ceremony required under canon law to restore sanctity after desecration.
Friday’s incident has sparked renewed questions about security inside one of the world’s most sacred and most visited churches.
St Peter’s Basilica attracts millions of visitors each year, with tourists often crowding the altar area to witness the grandeur of Vatican ceremonies.
Authorities have not said whether the man has been arrested or charged.
The Vatican’s Holy See Press Office is yet to comment publicly.
The shocking desecration comes amid a wider crackdown on tourists and foreign visitors in Italy.
Earlier this year, the Italian government tightened citizenship laws, making it far harder for Australians and other foreigners to get passports by descent.
In Venice, officials doubled the entry fee for day-trippers and expanded the days it applies.
Last year, two unruly tourists caused outrage after stripping off and swimming in front of a cemetery.
They were spotted by commuters leaving their clothes on the banks of the San Michele Cemetery before plunging into the water.
The Isola di San Michele is home to both a cemetery and a church, and is the burial site of several famous figures, including Russian-born composer Igor Stravinsky.
The repeated stunts and security breaches at major religious sites have raised concerns about how well such locations are being protected.
Friday’s stunt – carried out at the heart of the Vatican – is likely to intensify calls for a security overhaul.
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The disgusting scene took place during the 9am Holy MassCredit: X
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The Vatican has not yet released an official statement
NEW YORK — An executive order signed by President Trump this week aims to give political appointees power over the billions of dollars in grants awarded by federal agencies.
Scientists say it threatens to undermine the process that has helped make the U.S. the world leader in research and development.
The order issued Thursday requires all federal agencies, including the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the National Science Foundation and the National Institutes of Health, to appoint officials responsible for reviewing federal funding opportunities and grants, so that they “are consistent with agency priorities and the national interest.”
It also requires agencies to make it so that current and future federal grants can be terminated at any time — including during the grant period.
Agencies cannot announce new funding opportunities until the new protocols are in place, according to the order.
The Trump administration said these changes are part of an effort to “strengthen oversight” and “streamline agency grantmaking.” Scientists say the order will cripple America’s scientific engine by placing control over federal research funds in the hands of people who are influenced by politics and lack relevant expertise.
“This is taking political control of a once politically neutral mechanism for funding science in the U.S.,” said Joseph Bak-Coleman, a scientist studying group decision-making at the University of Washington.
The changes will delay grant review and approval, slowing “progress for cures and treatments that patients and families across the country urgently need,” the Assn. of American Medical Colleges said in a statement.
The administration has already terminated thousands of research grants at agencies such as the NSF and NIH, on topics including transgender health, vaccine hesitancy, misinformation, and diversity, equity and inclusion. It has also threatened funding for scientific research in its battle with prominent universities, including Harvard and UCLA.
The order could affect emergency relief grants doled out by FEMA, public safety initiatives funded by the Department of Justice and public health efforts supported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Experts say the order is likely to be challenged in court.
Airline pilots are told they should let rip in the cockpit, according to an air hostess who has revealed some wild facts from her experiences in the sky
Who knew pilots had to suffer so much? (stock photo)(Image: Getty Images)
It’s one of those taboo habits that most travellers would agree is just not on.
Farting on a plane is simply wrong for the same reason car wind and lift trumps are ‘illegal’ – the victim is trapped and cannot escape.
Sitting next to another passenger with wind is indeed a very unfortunate event and a rotten start to your holiday or trip. You either have to keep getting up out of your seat to let them go to the toilet every time they need to privately pop off, or you suffer the revolting indignation of breathing the foul air that has blasted out directly from their intestines into your lungs.
However, if you’re a pilot rather than a passenger, you will have been told you MUST toot freely while in the cockpit, according to an one Argentine flight attendant.
Barbara Bacilieri, also known as Barbie Bac to her almost 2.65milion YouTube million followers, claims pilots are “prohibited” from holding in their gas because the discomfort it causes can distract them from their crucially important role.
Barbara Bacilieri or Barbie Bac has made a startling revelation about passing wind on a plane(Image: Jam Press/@barbiebac)
To make matters worse, flatulence is heightened when the plane reaches an altitude of 30,000 feet. “At high altitudes, atmospheric pressure is lower, which increases the volume of internal gases,” she explained. “This can cause discomfort and distraction in the cockpit when the pilots should be focused on doing their job, not in pain from being full of gas. That’s why it’s always recommended that pilots, if they have to, just release them.”
Her wild assessment is even backed up by a 2013 study by Danish and British gastroenterologists. Hans Christian Pommergaard, Jakob Burcharth, Anders Fischer, William Thomas and Professor Rosenberg told the New Zealand Medical Journal that holding your farts in may seem preferential but they suggested that for the sake of their health and comfort, passengers and crew should set them free.
All smiles for now…(Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto)
Not doing so could lead to pain, bloating, indigestion, stress and even nausea, they said. According to the Sydney Morning Herald they concluded: “There is actually only one reasonable solution – just let it go.” The medics did recognise that air cabin quality may be diminished for other passengers though.
The gassy dilemma also applied to the cockpit and pilots, the specialists found. “If the pilot restrains a fart, all the drawbacks previously mentioned, including diminished concentration, may affect his abilities to control the airplane. If he lets go of the fart his co-pilot may be affected by its odour, which again reduces safety on board the flight.”
Barbie Bac also claims the pilots eat different meals – not to see who can produce the biggest back draft but so they don’t both suffer another unfortunate bowel incident. “The commander and the copilot choose different meal options. One will choose chicken and the other will choose pasta,” she says.
This apparently is to lessen the chances of them both getting food poisoning, which would mean no one would be able to fly the plane – not ideal. “It’s almost always the captain who makes the choice, and the copilot is the one who has to accept the alternative,” explained Bacilieri, who works for a Spanish budget carrier.
World leaders and senior officials have called on both Israel and Iran to walk back from the brink of all-out war as the bitter enemies traded intense attacks for a second day.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed on Saturday that Israel’s strikes on Iranian infrastructure had set its nuclear programme back years, without providing evidence, but rejected global calls for restraint.
“We will hit every site and every target of the Ayatollahs’ regime, and what they have felt so far is nothing compared with what they will be handed in the coming days,” he said in a video message.
During its surprise attack on Friday, the Israeli army targeted more than 200 military and nuclear sites, killing top Iranian army commanders, scientists and other senior officials.
Iran strong retaliation penetrated Israel’s lauded missile defence on Friday night and overnight into Saturday, with air raid sirens sounding across Israel. At least four people were killed, with the Israeli military saying Iran had fired about 200 ballistic missiles in four waves.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian warned on Saturday of a “more severe and powerful response” if Israel continued to strike.
In light of the escalation, world leaders have spoken to Iranian and Israeli top officials, fearing a possible regional war.
Here is what some countries have said:
US/Russia
The United States President Donald Trump says he spoke to his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin about the conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine. “He feels, as do I, this war in Israel-Iran should end, to which I explained, his war should also end,” Trump wrote in a social media post.
Earlier, top Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov told reporters Putin spoke to Trump and condemned Israel’s attacks on Iran. Putin “expressed serious concern about a possible escalation of the conflict, which would have unpredictable consequences for the entire situation in the Middle East”, Ushakov said,
According to Ushakov, Trump described the current events in the Middle East as “very alarming”.
The two leaders did not rule out a return to the negotiating meetings on Iran’s nuclear programme, Ushakov said.
Turkiye
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told the Iranian president that Israel was looking to “drag the whole region into the fire,” according to a statement from the Turkish presidency. Erdogan also told Pezeshkian that Israel’s attacks aimed to divert attention from the genocide in Gaza.
Erdogan told Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman that Israel needed “to be stopped”, calling it “the main threat to stability and security in the region”. The issue of Iran’s nuclear programme “can only be resolved through negotiations”, he added. The Turkish leader also spoke with Jordan’s King Abdullah II and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi.
Similarly, Erdogan told Trump in a phone call that he sees nuclear negotiations as the only way to resolve the conflict.
Erdogan told Trump that Turkiye supports Washington’s view that nuclear negotiations should continue to resolve the fighting and that Ankara is ready to help prevent an uncontrolled escalation, a statement by his office said.
China
Foreign Minister Wang Yi spoke to his Iranian and Israeli counterparts and made clear Beijing’s support for Tehran.
Wang told Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi that Beijing “supports Iran in safeguarding its national sovereignty, defending its legitimate rights and interests, and ensuring the safety of its people”, according to a statement by the foreign ministry.
Wang told Araghchi that Israel’s actions “seriously violate … the basic norms governing international relations”, adding attacks on nuclear facilities “have set a dangerous precedent with potentially catastrophic consequences”.
During his conversation with Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar, Wang expressed that its attack on Iran was “unacceptable”.
“Diplomatic means for the Iranian nuclear issue have not been exhausted, and there is still hope for a peaceful solution. Force cannot bring lasting peace,” Wang said, adding that Beijing was willing to play a role in de-escalating the conflict.
Qatar
Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani also spoke with Pezeshkian and reiterated Qatar’s strong condemnation and denunciation of the Israeli attack targeting the territory of Iran, considering it a “blatant violation of Iran’s sovereignty and security, and a clear breach of the rules and principles of international law”.
The Qatari leader also called for a diplomatic solution to reach a lasting and comprehensive peace in the region.
A woman sits inside her damaged house at an impact site following the Israeli strikes on Iran, in Tehran, June 14, 2025 [Majid Asgaripour/Wana (West Asia News Agency) via Reuters ]
Saudi Arabia
Pezeshkian has held a phone call with Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, IRNA reports. The Saudi State news agency confirmed the call.
“Since taking office as president, I have sought to strengthen peace, stability and security in the region, but the Zionist regime has disrupted and sabotaged every area where we wanted to achieve something,” Pezeshkian was quoted as saying.
The Saudi crown prince said, “the Kingdom condemns ongoing attacks that undermine Iran’s sovereignty and security. ”
Ties between Riyadh and Tehran have improved significantly since the two countries agreed to restore diplomatic relations in 2023 after years of animosity.
United Kingdom
The British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Saturday that the UK is moving military assets, including fighter jets, to the Middle East for contingency support across the region.
Foreign Secretary David Lammy said he was “alarmed” by the overnight strikes “with reports of fatalities and injuries in Israel”. “We must urgently de-escalate & prevent any further harm to civilians,” Lammy said on X, adding that he had spoken to his Iranian counterpart “to urge calm”.
Germany
Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul spoke to his Saudi Arabian counterpart, Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, and warned that the risk of “further escalation is real.” “Iran’s nuclear program threatens not only Israel, but also Saudi Arabia and the broader stability of the region. The countries here share a clear goal: to prevent nuclear proliferation. Germany is firmly committed to de-escalation,” he wrote on X.
France
President Emmanuel Macron said he spoke to his Iranian counterpart and called for French “diplomatic facilities and nationals in Iran and the wider region not to be targeted under any circumstances”. “I also urged the utmost restraint to avoid escalation. Iran’s nuclear program is a serious concern and must be resolved through negotiation,” Macron wrote on X.
“I therefore invited President [Masoud] Pezeshkian to return swiftly to the negotiating table to reach an agreement — the only viable path to de-escalation … We stand ready to contribute and to mobilise all our efforts to achieve that goal,” he added.
Vatican
Pope Leo XIV called on Israel and Iran to show responsibility and reason.
“The situation in Iran and Israel has seriously deteriorated at such a delicate moment. I wish to forcefully renew an appeal for responsibility and reason,” the pope said in a statement. “The commitment to build a safer world free from the nuclear threat must be pursued through a respectful meeting and sincere dialogue,” he said.
“No one should ever threaten the existence of the other,” he added.
