Naked man protests war in Ukraine at St Peter’s Basilica before Vatican guards take him away
Naked protest at St Peter’s Basilica: Man strips naked and stands on main altar during Ukraine war demonstration before Vatican guards take him away
- The tourist took off his clothes and stood naked on the main altar
- The demonstrator appeared to have scribbled ‘Save children in Ukraine’ on his back
Visitors to St. Peter’s Basilica were unexpectedly watched on Thursday when a naked man jumped onto the main altar of the Vatican church.
The tourist took off his clothes and stood naked on the main altar in the center of the church to protest the war in Ukraine.
The unclothed protester, who was not identified, appeared to have the words “Save Children in Ukraine” scrawled across his back in black marker.
He wore nothing but his socks and shoes as fellow visitors stood in amazement at his unclothed state beneath St. Peter’s Canopy where the saint is buried beneath.
Others took pictures of the surprise moment in the sixteenth-century church, Silere Non Possum reported, what some Italian media called a blasphemous act.
The protester wore nothing but his socks and shoes as fellow visitors on Thursday stood stunned at his unclothed condition under St. Peter’s Canopy. Silere Non Possum reported
Not only did the man have an inscription painted on his back calling for the children of Ukraine to be saved, but it was also reported that the man had cut himself on his body through his fingernails.
The Vatican gendarmerie rushed to deal with the man and forced him to put his clothes back on and come down from the consecrated altar.
The officials then handed over the protester to Italian police who took him away for questioning.
The episode took place just before the basilica was closed to visitors on Thursday afternoon.
The main altar is located under St. Peter’s Baldachin – a large baroque sculpted bronze baldachin – in the center of the church under the dome.
It marks the site of Saint Peter’s tomb below it and was installed in the 17th century.
He wore nothing but his socks and shoes as fellow visitors stood in awe of his unclothed state in St. Peter’s Basilica, the Vatican (file image)
The tourist took off his clothes and stood stark naked on the main altar of St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican (file image 6 April 2023)
This is not the first time a visitor to Vatican City has wiped down his equipment.
In 2016, a nurse was detained by the Vatican Gendarmerie after exposing everything and marching into the building in front of shocked churchgoers.
Brazilian Luis Carlos Giampaoli reportedly entered the church dressed, hiding in a corner to undress before bursting out wearing only shoes and a backpack.
He walked up and down the main nave of the basilica shouting church litanies and gesturing to onlookers.
Giampaoli was later transferred to a psychiatric ward at Rome’s Santo Spirito Hospital.