A Random-random Man Altar In St. Peter's Basilica, Drops A Candle Place From The 19th Century

Basilica St. Peter, Vatican. (Wikimedia Commons/Jorge Franganillo)

JAKARTA - A man caused damage at St. Peter's Basilica, Vatican, dropped a candle spot dating back to the 19th Century, after jumping into the main altar.

The video posted on X shows the person climbing the altar, which is used for the celebration of the main liturgical led by Pope Francis, quoted from CNN on February 10.

The incident occurred on Friday 7 February, just before 11:00 local time, where he managed to break through a barrier that limited access to the main altar, as reported by Zenit News.

The Altar is located just below the basilica stone canopy, which is famous for the design of Italian artist Gian Lorenzo Bernini and recently restored.

He was seen pulling the medium cloth before being stopped by security officers in front of the dumbfounded tourists.

Italian news agency Ansa reported that the suspect was from Romania. The place where the wax was dropped was worth around 30,000 euros.

The Vatican told the news agency the suspect, a person with "serious mental disability, had been detained by the Vatican Police before being handed over to Italian authorities."

"He was detained by Gendarmerie Vatican and handed over to Italian authorities," said Director of the Holy See Press Office Metteo Bruni.

Although the incident was successfully resolved without causing any physical casualties, damage to historical artifacts and the man's ease of reaching the altar have re-triggered discussions about security within St Peter's Basilica.

This isn't the first time St. Peter's Basilica has faced such an incident. In June 2023, a man took off his clothes and climbed the same minimum, an event that many visitors covered.

Repeated security breaches raise questions about the effectiveness of existing protective measures, as well as the potential risks posed by people seeking attention or acting due to mental stress.

It is known that the Vatican is preparing to welcome around 32 million pilgrims who are expected to visit Rome during the 2025 Catholic Church's Yubileum Year.