'Father, slow down!': Orthodox exorcist rides 'demon-possesed' man in Transnistria
An unusual act of exorcism was performed by the rector of the Archangel Michael Orthodox church in the village of Hrustovo. Instead of pouring holy water and saying prayers Father Valery decided to ride an ‘obsessed’ person and then started stepping on him.
The ritual was accompanied by the man’s shouting and swearing. Being exhausted, the ‘devil-ridden’ person was crawling and moaning:
“Father, enough, you are riding my belly and trampling my ass ! People, help me! “
When the ritual was over, the priest offered to repeat it.
The archdiocese of Moldova condemned such method of exorcism. A church court is to consider the incident.
Father Valery is known for attempts to treat parishioners for alcoholism, drug abuse, witchcraft and cancer with the help of prayers, holy water. He is also notorious for his exorcism practices, TJ reports.
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Transnistria (also called TransDniestr or Transdniestria) is located mostly on a strip of land between the River Dniester and the eastern Moldovan border with Ukraine. Unrecognised by any United Nations member state, Transnistria is formally part of the Republic of Moldova. Due to Russian military presence in Transnistria, the European Court of Human Rights considers Transnistria ‘under the effective authority or at least decisive influence of Russia’.
