Vatican: This Was The Act of Reparation for the Desacration of  The Altar of Saint Peter’s Basilica

Cardinal Mauro Gambetti, Archpriest of Saint Peter’s Basilica, presided over the liturgical act (established in the Caeremoniales Episcoporum, chapter XX). He was accompanied by the Canons and some faithful. 

Cardinal Mauro Gambetti,

The Rite of Penance began at midday in front of the Main Altar, under Bernini’s canopy, with the petition to God for forgiveness. Cardinal Gambetti said in front of the altar: “We are gathered here to confess our faith once again and to invoke mercy.” 

In the words the Cardinal spoke after the Liturgy of the Word, he said (referring to the structures of sin of which Saint John Paul II spoke about during his Pontificate): “It is also this structure of sin that causes a person who, perhaps, doesn’t feel heard, who wants to call attention to the world’s poverty, such as the situations being lived by the children of Ukraine that, perhaps, impels a person to be heard, to make an inappropriate gesture, truly frightful here, at the Altar of the Confession, as happened the other day.” Cardinal Gambetti added: “We are here to say to the Lord: ‘We acknowledge that these structures of sin condition our personal actions and those of society’ and ‘Lord, we ask your forgiveness. Purify us. Purify us.’”

Cardinal Mauro Gambetti,

Then the Creed was recited, the Altar was blessed with water and the Penitential Litanies were prayed, after which the Altar was sprinkled with holy water. The ceremony ended with the Our Father prayer, a Blessing and the singing of the Salve Regina. 

What has happened to the nudist?

The person who committed the desecration was a Polish man who had painted on his back the caption “Save the children of Ukraine.” After being seized by the Vatican Gendarmerie, he was handed over to the Italian police who made him leave the country. 

Cardinal Mauro Gambetti,