A Greek priest was arrested for anointing the genitals of a tourist with holy oil and claims he did it because the man had a rash: report

• A priest was arrested in Rhodes after an Estonian tourist said he touched him inappropriately.

• Local media reported the tourist told police the Greek priest said he was “anointing” his genitals.

• Dimokrati News reported the priest, 49, claimed he anointed the tourist because he had a “rash.”

A priest was arrested on the Greek island of Rhodes earlier this week after a tourist claimed he anointed his genitals, a local outlet reports.

On Friday, Dimokrati News reported that a 49-year-old priest from Orthodox Church in Rhodes was arrested after a 30-year-old Estonian tourist filed a complaint alleging he was molested by the priest who used holy oil to anoint his genitals.

The Hellenic Police, Greece’s national police service, and representatives for Rhodes District Court did not immediately respond to Insider’s request for comment.

According to the outlet, the tourist said the incident occurred Thursday morning after he returned to the monastery a day prior with his girlfriend to collect a crucifix he’d forgotten. Upon his return, the tourist said the priest told him he had a “special gift” for him in another room, per the outlet.

Once in the room, the tourist — who initially believed the interaction was routine procedure — said the priest asked him to remove his clothes to “anoint” him with holy oil, Dimokrati News reports.

Confused by the situation, the tourist did not ask the priest to stop when he began massaging the oil onto his body. However, later that day, he filed a complaint at a police station on the island, per the outlet.

Defending his actions, the priest told police officers he anointed the tourist because he had a “rash,” the outlet reported. It added that the case was subsequently handed to the prosecutor’s office of the Rhodes District Court for further review and investigation.

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