Pope Leo XIV is believed to have been left "in shock" after a man urinated on an altar during Holy Mass in the Vatican.

The incident occurred at St Peter's Basilica on Friday and was witnessed by hundreds of worshippers who gathered for the service.

The man, who has not yet been identified, was seen walking up to the Altar of Confession, widely regarded as one of the holiest sites in the Catholic faith.

After reach the top of the stairs, he proceeded to drop his trousers and began to urinate on the site where the Pope personally celebrates Mass, according to the Corriere della Sera.

The incident occurred at St Peter's Basilica on Friday and was witnessed by hundreds of worshippers

Vatican security personnel quickly rushed to stop the man as onlookers were heard gasping.

After the man finished act, he was quickly bundled away from the basilica.

But before he could be removed from the holy site, he bent over and exposed his backside in full view of the horrified worshippers.

Footage of the incident was posted online and has attracted millions of view across social media platforms.

After the man finished the desecrating act, he was quickly dragged away from St Peter's Basilica

It has not yet been established whether the pontiff was in attendance at the Holy Mass.

However, Vatican sources have suggested that Pope Leo was "shocked" after learning about the vile act.

The Altar of Confession sits below Michelangelo's dome and allows for the tomb of Saint Peter to be seen from above.

St Peter's Basilica describe the altar as a "sacred space", and it is the site where Pope Francis was laid for public viewing ahead of his funeral.

Vatican sources have suggested that Pope Leo was 'shocked' after learning about the vile act

The Altar of Confession has seen a rise of disruptive intrusion in recent years due to its significance to Catholicism.

Earlier this year, a man knocked over six candelabras after climbing aloft the holy altar.

While in 2023, a Polish man stripped naked during a Holy Mass service and jumped on top of it.

He was seen with the words “Save children of Ukraine” written across his back, but did not speak or cause any damage to the basilica.

Authorities have not confirmed whether the public urinator has been arrested or charged with a crime.

Neither the Vatican nor St Peter's Basilica have publicly commented on the incident yet.

St Peter's Basilica has long-been a major site for religious pilgrimage, attracting up to 10 million visitors each year.

It is one of the four "Major Basilicas of Rome", alongside St John Lateran, St Mary Major and St Paul Outside the Walls.