VAFFANCULO

U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia made a gesture on Sunday. He was in a church, the Cathedral of the Holy Cross.

Scalia was asked by a reporter what he had to say to his critics. The Boston Herald reports on what he did next:

[Peter] Smith was working as a freelance photographer for the Boston archdiocese’s weekly newspaper at a special Mass for lawyers Sunday when a Herald reporter asked the justice how he responds to critics who might question his impartiality as a judge given his public worship. "The judge paused for a second, then looked directly into my lens and said, 'To my critics, I say, 'Vaffanculo,'" punctuating the comment by flicking his right hand out from under his chin, Smith said.

The Italian phrase means "(expletive) you."

The Herald printed the story. Scalia denied making any obscene gesture. Smith, the freelance shooter, says Scalia is full of it. "It’s inaccurate and deceptive of him to say there was no vulgarity in the moment," said Smith, a Boston University assistant photojournalism professor.

Click the link, scope out the pic and decide for yourself.