Moldovan Orthodox Church Priest Rides Man Like Donkey to Exorcise Demon; Church Vows to Investigate
The Moldovan Orthodox Church is reportedly now distancing itself from one of its priests after a video showing his riding a man like a donkey to exorcise a demon from him was leaked online Thursday.
The priest, identified as "Father Valeriy" of Church of St. Michael in the state of Transnistria, in Eastern Europe is shown in a nearly 2-minute video clip on YouTube riding an unidentified man like a donkey as he screams out.
"The Moldovan Orthodox Church has launched a probe. Assuming that this is not just some horrible joke, the video shows the potential for great abuse in such rituals," says blogger Jonathan Turley.
In the video the cameraman reportedly asks the portly priest how far the possessed man must carry him and he responds: "To Jerusalem and to the sacred mountain of Aphone."
The man is said to plead that with the priest that he cannot go on and asks to carry the priest in his arms instead.
"Good people please save me! I cannot take it anymore!" the possessed man reportedly says in the video.
You can watch the full video of the incident below.
