Police called in as drunken American disrupts church ceremony

Drunken American disrupts Sliema church ceremony after telling priest that he should know the bible by heart.

Parishioners at the Stella Maris parish church in Sliema were this morning treated to a somewhat unusual religious experience, as the Sunday sermon was disrupted by a loud and drunk US man who took umbrage at the priest reading from a bible.

Police sources told MaltaToday that around 9am, a drunken man – later identified as being a US national – was delivering a “personal” sermon outside the Stella Maris parish church in Triq il-Kbira, Sliema.

The improvised sermon however fell on deaf ears, as the parishioners ignored the man’s sermon in favour of that delivered by the parish priest.

Sources said that despite being given the cold shoulder by the parishioners, the man is said to have continued his impromptu speech inside the church. Moreover, the man, which is said to have been sitting in the front, started banging and talking to himself. When approached by a priest, the man then stood up and berated the priest for reading the bible – telling him that he should instead, know it by heart.

Other parishioners then escorted out the man while the parish priest continued to deliver his sermon. However, moments later the drunken man returned back to the church, and then got more than he bargained for as police were called in.

Police sources said that after brief questioning, the man was released shortly after and transported to a nearby hospital where he is said to be receiving treatment.

Police confirmed that neither the priest nor any of the parishioners were attacked, and that no injuries were reported.