Cagayan De Oro City — The Archdiocese of Ozamiz City has indefinitely closed the St. John the Baptist Parish Church in Jimenez after a blogger allegedly spat in the church’s holy water font.
Archbishop Martin Sarmiento Jumoad issued a decree to close the church “as a sign of penance and reparation,” a measure he said was meant to “invoke conversion of heart and communal purification as guided by the Catholic teaching.”
Jumoad said the church will remain closed until further notice and will only be reopened after appropriate acts of penance are observed by parishioners, including participation in a holy hour and confession.
The archbishop led the padlocking of the church’s main door on Tuesday as hundreds of parishioners watched. Two priests later placed a large white “X” made of tape across the entrance.
Jumoad directed parishioners to attend a Holy Hour of Adoration and a service of solemn confessions at 3 p.m. Thursday.
He cited Roman Catholic Church laws regarding sacred places that have been violated by actions considered gravely disrespectful. Canon 1211 of the Church’s Code of Canon Law states that churches are considered desecrated when serious offenses are committed inside them, and they cannot be used for worship again until a rite of penance is held.
Jumoad also cited Canon 1369, which outlines penalties and preventive measures for those who abuse or profane sacred objects.