A man is still perched on St Peter's dome after spending the night of 20 May on a ledge above a window near the top of the 138-m cupola.

Marcello Di Finizio, who is protesting against Italy's economic crisis, is a Trieste bar owner who has scaled the dome on two other occasions.

Di Finizio is displaying a large banner with a message written in English and Italian, reading "Stop this Massacre! The political horror show is continuing", as well as a message calling on Pope Francis to “Help us exit the Euro.”

Vatican guards and police are attempting to coax him into giving up his dangerous demonstration however Di Finizio says he will stay on the dome as long as he can.

He staged two similar demonstrations last year, in protest over multinationals, ex-premier Mario Monti's government, and austerity cuts.

Following his last protest in October, which lasted 27 hours, police banned him from returning to Rome for three years.