Man stages naked protest for Ukraine at sacred St. Peter’s Basilica altar

A bloke has stripped down to his birthday suit in a bold move of support for Ukraine while standing atop the altar of the sacred St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican.

The naked tourist, who has not yet been identified, took off all his clothes except for his shoes and socks (perhaps to protect his modesty?), and climbed onto the altar on Thursday (June 1), according to photos posted to social media.

He appeared to have the words “Save children in Ukraine” written on his back, in an apparent protest against Russia's invasion.

Eyewitnesses reportedly said that he also seemed to have self-inflicted cuts across his body from his fingernails.

READ MORE: 'Russia's vile crimes in Ukraine give me nightmares – they bombed 14 waiting for food'

Vatican guards quickly grabbed the naked preacher, quickly putting his clothes back on before handing him over to Italian police, who took him in for questioning,the Mail reported.

He was seen underneath St Peter’s Baldacchino, an enormous bronze structure that draws eyes in every direction.

The altar itself sits right above the tomb of St. Peter, one of Jesus’ 12 disciples who was slaughtered by Emperor Nero in the 1st century for preaching Christianity.

It’s not the first time a tourist has visited stark naked.

In 2016, a nurse was held by the Vatican’s gendarmerie after baring it all and marching into the building in front of shocked churchgoers.

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Brazilian Luis Carlos Giampaoli reportedly entered the church in clothes, hiding in a corner to undress before bursting out wearing only shoes and a backpack.

He strode up and down the main nave of the Basilica while yelling church litanies and gesticulating at onlookers.

Giampaoli was later taken to a psychiatric ward in Rome's Santo Spirito hospital.

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The unnamed man isn’t the only naked protestor to make headlines this year.

Dozens of naked cyclists took to the streets of Sao Paulo, Brazil, to protest how badly they were being treated by motorists.

The Daily Star reported that one of the protestors even went so far as to fully paint themselves green from head to toe, wearing on his head a Russian-style chapka hat.

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