A social media content creator has come under fire after a video showing her spitting into the holy water font of the St. John the Baptist Parish in Jimenez, Misamis Occidental, went viral online. The disturbing footage sparked outrage among netizens and members of the local Catholic community, prompting immediate action from church officials.
In the now-deleted video, the woman is seen entering the church and approaching the font containing holy water—commonly used by Catholics for blessings and making the sign of the cross. Without hesitation, she is seen spitting into the container while someone records her act, presumably for content purposes. The clip quickly spread across various platforms, with many condemning the behavior as disrespectful, offensive, and sacrilegious.
As a result, the parish has announced that the church will be closed to the public starting August 5, 2025, until further notice. Parish officials stated that the closure is necessary for the proper cleansing and re-blessing of the sacred space, as well as to allow for an internal investigation.
“This act deeply violates the sanctity of our church and disrespects the beliefs of our faithful community,” said Fr. Alberto Gonzaga, parish priest of St. John the Baptist Parish. “We are heartbroken and dismayed that someone would do this simply for online attention.”
The local diocese has also released a statement condemning the act, calling it “a deliberate insult to the sacred practices of the Catholic Church.” They have confirmed that legal action may be pursued depending on the outcome of ongoing inquiries.
Netizens have taken to social media to express their anger, calling for accountability and stricter regulations for social media content that promotes offensive or harmful behavior. Some have also demanded that the woman publicly apologize and be banned from entering any place of worship.
Local authorities are now investigating whether the act violated any laws under the Revised Penal Code or any local ordinances related to public indecency or disrespect of religious practices.
As of writing, the identity of the woman involved has not been officially disclosed, and no public apology has been issued. Meanwhile, the church urges the faithful to remain respectful and prayerful as they process the incident and prepare to reopen their doors once proper rites have been performed.