Around noon in Rome today, an American tourist requested an audience with Pope Francis while visiting the Vatican’s Chiaramonti Museum. When his request was denied, the man, in his 50s, directed his ire at the nearest ancient bust—and sent it crashing to the floor. As the perpetrator tried to flee the scene, another sculpture was smashed in his wake.
“The person who knocked down the statues was stopped by the Vatican police and has been handed over to the Italian authorities,” an official statement from the Vatican read.
No one knows what the tourist wanted to talk to the Pope about, but various outlets have questioned his mental health. Meanwhile, the two damaged artworks are now at a conservation laboratory.
Go here to read the rest. Although PopeWatch was on the road on Friday he did not go berserk in Rome, although traffic in Rome is enough to drive anyone berserk.
Although PopeWatch was on the road on Friday he did not go berserk in Rome
WHEW! … For a minute there…