UNGODLY images have emerged of a man dressed in priest vestments performing a sex act upon the altar of an Irish church.
The Catholic Church has called on Gardaí to investigate the leaked "sacrilege" at an as-yet-unnamed small country church.
It is understood that several senior clerymen - including bishops - have been made aware of the sinful images over recent days.
In a statement, a Church spokesperson confirmed to the Irish Independent that the matter has been reported to Gardaí and a full investigation is expected to follow.
A spokesperson for the diocese involved declined to comment further for legal reasons due to "the criminal nature of the alleged incident".
An anonymous source told the paper that the photos depicted an act which could only be described as "an abomination".
They explained that the graphic material showed two men engaged in sexual activity across what appears to be the altar of a rural church.
One of the men appeared to be dressed in the robes associated with a Roman Catholic priest.
"The photographs depict something that appears somewhat satanic," the source added.
There is no suggestion that the intimate act was non-consensual.
Any investigation is likely to examine the veracity of the images as well as the church which allegedly played host to the unholy act.
