Every celebrity who has broken Vatican rules as JD Vance causes outrage by 'basically giving God the finger'

JD Vance is the latest to join a long list of high-profiled visitors who've flouted some of the Vatican's strict rules.

The US vice president visited Vatican City last week to meet some notable figures, including Pope Francis, who passed away from a cerebral stroke which led to a coma and irreversible heart failure.

While Vance paid tribute to the late pontiff, he also enjoyed visiting some historical and sacred religious sites over the Easter weekend during his trip, including a visit to the Vatican's Sistine Chapel.

However, he was slammed online for an image that was taken of him and his son from within the chapel as the pair admired Michelangelo's sprawling artwork across its ceiling.

Some said the pic is 'basically like giving God the finger', since the Vatican's lengthy list of rules has a very specific policy against photography of any kind of the Sistine Chapel.

As per its website, and written in bold no less, is the warning that photographs or films made with 'any type of electronic equipment' is 'forbidden' with staff also authorized to 'cancel' (delete) such snaps from rule-breakers' devices.

However, Vance isn't the only famous face to have been slammed for apparently breaking the rules.

Martha Stewart

New Jersey's famous businesswoman, Martha Stewart, faced some intense backlash when she uploaded her own snaps of the secretive and sacred Sistine Chapel while on vacation in December last year.

“Just a few iPhone photos of what we saw during our quiet hour in the Sistine Chapel!” she wrote in the caption on Instagram. “I love the painting and the biblical history that is portrayed in the Chapel. This should definitely be on your bucket list.”

It appears Stewart made a double-whammy breach here as not only are images and film strictly forbidden for visitors, but mobile phones are also prohibited from being used in the chapel.

In response to someone saying the flashes can 'ruin the paintings', she replied (via ArtNet): "We used no flashes Just our Apple iPhone 16 plus max very good camera."

Jennifer Aniston

It's not just photography and silence that must be observed while touring the Vatican as Friends star Jennifer Aniston found out while visiting in 2012.

The then 43-year-old was seen sporting a short grey dress while visiting St Peter's Basilica with her then boyfriend, Justin Theroux.

As per the website, entry into any of the Vatican museums, the Sistine Chapel and St Peter's Basilica has a strict dress code - with no sleeveless and/or low-cut garments, shorts above the knee, miniskirts, hats or even possibly offensive tattoos are allowed.

While the Marley & Me star did cover up her shoulders, her short dress was apparently in conflict with the requirement of decorum.

Kim Kardashian

If you haven't been Keeping Up With the Kardashians, chances are you might have missed the moment Kim K didn't break the internet, but broke the Vatican rules.

Sharing snaps of her visit through Vatican Museums, she wrote on Instagram: "We had the most incredible experience touring Vatican City @vaticanmuseums. It was amazing to be able to view all of the iconic art, architecture and ancient Roman sculptures in person, especially Michelangelo’s works.

"We even had an opportunity to view their private archive of robes worn by every pope in history, dating back to the 1500’s. Thank you @ocspecial for arranging the visit."

However, the reality TV star could be seen in a figure-hugging white lace dress and while, granted, it covered her knees and legs, her bare skin was exposed through cut-outs around the stomach and waist of her dress. That, and it fell off the shoulders.

Kim squashed the rumors that she disregarded the dress code though, adding in her caption on Instagram: "Don’t worry, I adhered to the dress code and fully covered up while inside St. Peter's Basilica and the Sistine Chapel’s."

Jason Momoa

Aquaman, otherwise known as Jason Momoa, was forced to apologize in 2022 for taking images within the Pope's residence which he visited while he was in Rome filming for the Fast & Furious franchise movie, Fast X.

He wrote: "I LOVE YOU ITALY what a beautiful start to our day off enjoying ROMA big mahalos to @vaticanmuseums @rembrandt82 @imagoartistravel @fulvioiatravel @chiaradimuoio @vioscooking ALOHA J."

Momoa shared dozens of snaps from in the chapel and appeared to bypass a roped barrier to run his hand across a sculpture, another major rule break per the Vatican's rules (via Today).

When similarly mobbed by angry comments, Momoa later apologized in a video, stating it wasn't his 'intention' to 'disrespect' anyone's culture and that he had given a 'wonderful donation' for the 'private moment' in the Sistine Chapel.

Adding that he had asked for permission for 'for what I thought would be OK', he continued: "And so I love you, sorry if I offended you. My apologies."

Russell Crowe

New Zealand actor and film director, Russell Crowe, also came under fire for sharing the emotional moment he had with his mom from within the Sistine Chapel.

The Gladiator star who was in Rome to film the 2023 movie, The Pope's Exorcist, posted several images and videos of the religious site to Twitter and revealed he got to walk through the museum with his mom without any other tourists - and so the pair could reflect on the passing of his father.

"A very special experience as a family yesterday. Got to walk through the Vatican Museum by ourselves. Amazing," he wrote before revealing he could take his mom in her wheelchair through the corridors without a crowd.

He continued: “We were given access to rooms, perspectives and parts of the collection you don’t get to see as a regular tourist."

As for the Chapel, he wrote: "I'm not sure there's a more special privilege in the world than to hold the key for the Sistine Chapel and to experience its glory in silence. So grateful."

UNILAD has contacted Jennifer Aniston's, Russell Crowe's and Martha Stewart's representatives for comment.