MANILA, Philippines – An archbishop in the southern Philippines ordered the temporary closure of a 19th-century parish after a vlogger allegedly spat into its holy water font, an incident that went viral and fueled rage in this Catholic-majority country.

In a decree issued on Monday, Ozamis Archbishop Martin Sarmiento Jumoad condemned the “grave act of sacrilege committed by an individual who spat at the holy water font” of Saint John the Baptist Parish in Jimenez, Misamis Occidental.

Jumoad said the parish “shall remain closed until further notice as a sign of penance and reparation.” “This is to invoke conversion of heart and communal purification as guided by Catholic teaching,” the archbishop said.

He also scheduled a Holy Hour of Adoration and Solemn Confessions on Wednesday “to foster repentance, seek forgiveness, and restore the sanctity of the parish.”

In ordering the temporary closure, Jumoad cited the Code of Canon Law, which states in Canon 1211: “Sacred places are violated by gravely injurious actions done in them with scandal to the faithful, actions which, in the judgment of the local ordinary, are so grave and contrary to the holiness of the place that it is not permitted to carry on worship in them until the damage is repaired by a penitential rite according to the norm of the liturgical books.”

He also quoted Canon 1369, which states: “A person who profanes a sacred object, moveable or immovable, is to be punished with a just penalty.”

The archbishop said he will only permit the reopening of the parish “after appropriate acts of penance are observed by the faithful, including participation in the Holy Hour and confessions, as well as after due pastoral assessment.”

“A serious warning is hereby extended to the individual responsible: The act of profaning sacred objects, such as the holy water font, constitutes grave sin and desecration (cf. CCC 2139) and incurs not only ecclesiastical penalties but endangers the sinner’s communion with the Church and God. Immediate confession and sincere repentance are required to restore one’s standing in the community of faith,” Jumoad said.

“By this decree, may the faithful be reminded that sacred objects and places are vessels of God’s grace and deserve our utmost respect and reverence. Let us all renew our commitment to holiness, reverence, and communal harmony,” he added.

The vlogger, 28-year-old Christine Medalla, denied the allegation that she spat into the parish’s holy water font, according to a report by the government-run Philippine News Agency (PNA).

“I just took an envelope and then returned it immediately. I looked at the holy water because I made a wish. That’s all,” Medalla said in media interviews quoted by the PNA.

Saint John the Baptist Parish — which was built in 1862 during Spanish colonial rule — was classified as a National Cultural Treasure of the Philippines in 2001. It is known for its Baroque and Renaissance style.

The government’s local tourism chief also criticized the church’s alleged desecration.

“I am deeply saddened by the immediate closure of our beloved National Historical Treasure, the John the Baptist Church in Jimenez, Misamis Occidental, due to an irresponsible act of sacrilege by a female vlogger who desecrated the holy water font,” said Department of Tourism Director Marie Elaine Unchuan in a PNA report.

The Philippines, home to nearly 86 million Catholics, is known for its fervent Catholic faith, stemming from over 300 years as a colony of Spain that once made Catholicism the state religion.

Cases of blasphemy and sacrilege, although sporadic, have therefore stoked anger and even prompted cases in court.

A recent case involved Filipino drag artist Amadeus Fernando Pagente, also known as Pura Luka Vega, who went viral for dancing and twerking to the tune of the “Our Father” in July 2023.

Pagente was sued for violating a 1930 law that penalizes “immoral doctrines, obscene publications and exhibitions, and indecent shows,” covering those who “offend any race or religion.” The case was dismissed through a court ruling released in June 2025.