Back in 2018, Pope Francis insisted the church should not be “afraid” of the tattoos many young people sport, saying priests can learn from them because they often communicate something important about the personality of the wearer. It turns out, however, that the pontiff’s seemingly benign view of tattoos doesn’t extend to the Vatican’s workforce. New rules for employees of St. Peter’s Basilica issued June 29 specify that personnel may not have visible tattoos or piercings and could be suspended if they do.