St Mary Major

A vandal attacked the bronze central door of St Mary Major Basilica in Rome on Monday, making a fist-sized hole in its depiction of The Annunciation. For some reason best known to the artist, the angel Gabriel is giving a middle-finger salute to the elegant, mannerist Virgin Mary. The vandal was collared, whether by Vatican guards or by local fuzz is unknown. The 5th-century basilica is one of four in Rome that are under the jurisdiction of the Vatican.