An Italian man, armed with a bottle of gasoline and a note with his daughter’s phone number, entered St. Peter’s Square in the Vatican early Thursday morning, and set himself ablaze. A Jesuit priest tried to save the man, attempting to use his cape to put out the fire before police showed up with a fire extinguisher. The man, 52, is now at the hospital suffering serious burns on his torso. His motive for setting himself on fire is still unknown. The police officers who responded to the scene suffered smoke inhalation and minor burns on their hands.
