Filipinos noticed that a topless individual suddenly appeared behind Manila Auxiliary Bishop Broderick Pabillo while he was holding a daily Mass in Tondo last Saturday.
The prelate presided over a morning Mass at the Archdiocesan Shrine of Santo Niño which was live-streamed on the parish’s Facebook page.
In the now-unavailable video, Pabillo was about to formally end the Eucharistic celebration when an unidentified man walked over to the seat behind him and sat with one leg crossed over the other.
The man also leaned back and rested his arms on the seat’s arm support.
A few seconds later, he raised his hands in what appeared to be a surrendering pose and then walked away from the altar.
A security personnel came after him, which prompted Pabillo to look behind and witness the scene that has surprised churchgoers.
The video, which was previously seen by Interaksyon the same day it was uploaded, is no longer available on the parish’s Facebook page. However, some YouTube users managed to have a copy of it.
A live stream of the Holy Mass can be viewed in the channel of a certain “MEG Star.”
Part of the video showing the incident landed on local Reddit’s trending list Monday afternoon, where it has amused Filipinos.
“Dude even has a face mask as his crown. Tapos tamang de quatro lang,” a Reddit user said in response to the unidentified man’s appearance with a laughing-with-tears emoji.
“We’re having a blast here. Thanks!” wrote another online user with a similar set of emojis.
“That is so unexpected,” a different Reddit user commented.
Altars are holy places where the priest celebrates the Eucharist and exercises their functions. It is also where the Word of God is proclaimed.