Police are investigating whether a satanic cult could be responsible for a series of bizarre occurrences at a Jensen Beach church.The Rev. James Moligano of St. Martin de Porres Catholic Church said on Friday that he has reason to believe a satanic cult is behind the recent theft of a book of prayers, the attempted theft of some consecrated hosts during a service and the appearance of snakes outside the church.
John Samuel Ricci was arrested Saturday after Father Marco de Leon said he tried to grab a handful of wafers, called hosts in Catholic vernacular, from him during communion services. Several parishioners held Ricci down until authorities arrived.
Two days earlier, another man was caught on a surveillance camera stealing the church's new book of prayers.
"There are satanic cults in the local area, and in order for a black mass to be properly conducted ritually, they need consecrated hosts," or religious items blessed by a priest, Moligano said.
Moligano said he could think of no other reason why someone would want to pocket the hosts or The Sacramentary book.
Then there were the snakes.
"I'm not one to believe in coincidence, but there were snakes outside the front entrance of the church trying to get in on the heels of this incident," Moligano said.
Moligano said the priests later found a live snake wrapped around the handlebars of Ricci's bicycle, which they had placed in storage.
"I'm not saying that this individual was satanic or possessed or anything of that sort, but again, evil exists," Moligano said.
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(Source: WBPTF)