Unidentified man urinates on Altar of Confession at St. Peter's

An unidentified man climbed onto the Altar of Confession at St. Peter's Basilica during the 9 a.m. Mass on Friday and urinated on the sacred space in front of hundreds of worshippers and tourists, Vatican officials said. Security personnel quickly removed the man from the sanctuary; Vatican spokesmen described the incident as a desecration of one of Christianity's most venerated sites.

Video filmed by onlookers shows the man pulling down his trousers, urinating on the altar and then pulling his jeans back up as plainclothes officers intervened. Witnesses in the basilica reacted with shock and distress. Vatican officials said the pope was informed and reported to be shocked by the event. A Vatican spokesman later told authorities that the man appeared to have serious mental health issues and had been detained by the Vatican police and placed at the disposal of Italian authorities.

The Altar of Confession sits above what is traditionally identified as the tomb of Saint Peter and is reserved for papal liturgies. That sacred status has heightened concern among church officials and visitors. Some heritage groups and clergy called for the altar to be reconsecrated, and Italian...