Vatican City – Today, around midday the rite of reparation ordered by Pope Leo XIV finally took place, following the new act of desecration that occurred on October 10.
A necessary gesture, prescribed by the Ceremonial of Bishops, and at the same time an act of justice toward the violated holiness of the most sacred place in Christendom. Yet, despite the gravity of the event and the direct intervention of the Pontiff, not a single word appeared on Vatican News, the Holy See’s official media portal. A silence that—more than a thousand words—confirms what Silere non possum has long denounced: the Vatican outlet acts not by mandate of truth, but by impulse of power and influence.
It seems that even the command of the Pope is not enough to move a newsroom that, though made up of journalists registered with the Italian professional order, systematically ignores the most basic ethical principles of that very profession. A public scandal of universal relevance—followed by millions through the videos and articles published by Silere non possum—has simply been erased from the official narrative, as though nothing had happened.
Why? Because, once again, Cardinal Mauro Gambetti, Archpriest of St. Peter’s Basilica, imposed absolute secrecy. And when power demands silence, those at Piazza Pia (the Vatican’s media hub) hold their tongues and still their fingers. This was also evident in the case of certain “trusted” Roman journalists, such as Franca Giansoldati, ready to write that “these things can happen”—as though three desecrations in two years were a minor incident. No one has forgotten the personal hostility Giansoldati repeatedly showed toward Canon Basso and Cardinal Angelo Comastri, prelates she attacked with offensive and defamatory tones—even continuing against Basso after his death. An inexplicable fixation, unless one considers that those prelates had not welcomed her into their circles, unlike Gambetti, who opened to her the doors of his luxurious new office on the third floor of the Fabbrica di San Pietro.
A Disturbing Sequence of Sacrilege
On Friday, October 10, 2025, St. Peter’s Basilica became the scene of yet another outrageous act. While the faithful were crossing the Holy Door and attending Mass, a man climbed onto the Altar of the Confession, beneath Bernini’s baldachin, stripped completely naked, and attempted to urinate before the astonished congregation. A blasphemous and profane act—the third in two years—revealing a failure in safeguarding both the security and dignity of the sacred place.
The first incident occurred on June 1, 2023, when a man, naked and bearing the words “Save children of Ukraina” on his back, climbed onto the main altar.
The second, on February 7, 2025, involved a man of Romanian origin who overturned six candlesticks and damaged the altar; in that case, no rite of reparation was performed.
The Pope’s Direct Intervention
After viewing the footage published by Silere non possum, Pope Leo XIV expressed dismay and sorrow, ordering Cardinal Gambetti to proceed “as soon as possible” with the penitential rite, “to restore the sanctity of the place and beg God’s forgiveness for the offense committed.” The rite could have taken place as early as Saturday, October 11, but the Archpriest chose not to proceed, offering no explanation. Only after the Pope’s direct intervention, urging him not to delay any further, was the decision finally made to act. However, since the Ceremonial of Bishops prescribes that the rite be celebrated on a weekday, it was postponed until today.
Images from the Rite of Purification – June 3, 2023The Rite in St. Peter’s
Paragraph 1070 of the Ceremonial of Bishops leaves no room for doubt: “A church is desecrated if, to the scandal of the faithful, gravely injurious actions are committed there which, in the judgment of the local ordinary, are so serious and contrary to the sanctity of the place that it is no longer lawful to celebrate worship there until the injury has been repaired by a penitential rite.”
The rite consisted of a penitential procession, followed by the sprinkling of the altar and walls with holy water, and the prayers prescribed in the liturgical books. An ecclesial gesture of purification and renewal, through which the Church acknowledges the wound suffered and implores grace for healing. And yet, Vatican News did not write a single word about it.
The Paradox of Silence
They remain silent about the rite ordered by the Pope, yet give voice to those who downplay the event. They remain silent about the gravest desecration in recent Vatican history, yet dedicate pages to climate-themed events and green initiatives. They remain silent about the wound inflicted on Peter’s Altar, but never silent when it comes to praising those in power. They remain silent about Gambetti’s shameful mismanagement, but find space to promote trivial events, devoid of any spiritual meaning, staged in the Basilica as if it were a worldly theater.
And yet, Vatican media should be a voice of truth, not a tool of convenience. It should serve the public good, not act as propaganda for men of power who wear suits and ties, and when convenient, a cross on their chest. Thus, what happens in the heart of Catholicism, within St. Peter’s Basilica, we do not learn from the official organs of the Holy See, but from those who—with consistency and courage—choose not to remain silent.
Fr. B. S.
Silere non possum