A shocking video shows a priest pulling a one-year-old baby's head during a baptism in Brazil.
According to Brazilian outlet Metrópoles, the incident unfolded at the Parish of São Sabestião on Saturday (May 25) as Father Ricardo Pinheiro was baptizing one-year-old child Jhullie.
Video of the incident shows Jhullie's mother, Juliane, holding her daughter over a baptismal font. The priest began the baptism, pouring holy water over the baby's head. Jhullie put up a struggle and moved away from the baptismal font before Father Pinheiro yanked her head back so he could continue pouring holy water over her.
The forceful pull also sent the mother, who was holding the child, forward. Jhullie cried as the family obliged with the priest's request to take a photo following the baptism.
Juliane said her family was angered by the priest's actions and is calling for an investigation into the incident.
"We are angry, we feel powerless," the mother said. "We don't understand how someone who was supposed to be the representative of the word can act like this towards such an innocent being. I want justice! This cannot go unpunished."
Symone, the baby's godmother, believes Father Pinheiro showed less compassion for Jhullie than other children who were baptized.
"At that moment we did not have the attitude to take measures and contain him right there because there were other children being baptized," she said. "Ant their baptisms were carried out with all the care and patience, totally different from baptism of our little Jhullie. If we can call it a baptism."
Father Pinheiro issued an apology in a statement shared on the church's social media.
"I want to ask forgiveness from all who felt saddened by my attitude yesterday," the priest said. "I recognize my lack of charity towards the family, the child and the guests. At the end of the baptism, the family contacted me in the sacristy."
"I was able to ask for forgiveness for what happened, even though it was not intentional... Life is a learning experience and at all times God wants to sanctify and purify us."
Watch video of the baptism here.
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