Church Temporarily Closed After Vlogger Spits into Holy Water Font
MISAMIS OCCIDENTAL – A female vlogger allegedly spat into the holy water font of the Parish Church of St. John the Baptist in Jimenez while recording a vlog. This act caused public outrage and led to the temporary closure of the church.
The incident happened on Sunday, August 4, and was seen in a video that she later deleted from her social media. Many people viewed her actions as highly disrespectful to the Catholic faith, which sparked strong reactions from churchgoers, religious leaders, and online users.
The 28-year-old vlogger, known for her humorous content and with over 115,000 followers, faced heavy criticism after the video went viral. In response, she uploaded an apology video where she was seen crying and asking for forgiveness from the Church and the public. Although she apologized, she strongly denied that she intentionally spat into the holy water.
Archbishop Martin Sarmiento Jumoad of the Archdiocese of Ozamiz strongly reacted to the incident. He said it was a serious insult to something sacred in the Catholic faith. He explained that churches and holy objects must always be treated with respect, and when someone acts in such an offensive way, it calls for a spiritual response. He referred to Church laws that say sacred places must be respected and that serious violations like this must be addressed through prayer and repentance.
Because of the incident, the Archbishop ordered the church to be closed temporarily as a way for the community to reflect and atone for what happened. A special prayer and confession service will be held on August 7 at 3 p.m., where church members are invited to pray, seek forgiveness, and help restore the holiness of the church. The church will only reopen after a proper review and once the churchgoers have participated in these acts of penance.
The Archbishop also gave a strong warning to the vlogger. He said that disrespecting holy objects is a serious sin that harms a person’s relationship with God and the Church. He encouraged the vlogger to sincerely admit her mistake and ask for God’s forgiveness.
From the video, it’s obvious that the act of spitting was intentional. In her apology she says “sa mga Katoliko”, seems to reveal she’s not Catholic herself. If so, she may not understand that Holy Water and other sacramentals are considered sacred by The Church. To us, what she did was blasphemous. I think that even any good and thinking protestant will not do what she did – simply out of respect and good order. Also, her spitting into the Holy Water font – seeing that it was where parishioners dipped their hands, violated health protocols and common decency. If she’s not Catholic, I suggest she be made to attend a seminar on Catholic Sacramentals and our Catechism. This way, she may understand fully the gravity of her error. After which, mercy and forgiveness.