Police: Naked, high North Dakota man climbed into holy water

MANDAN, N.D. – Police say a naked North Dakota man who was high on drugs climbed into the holy water font during Mass at a church.

Officers in Mandan, which is just across the Missouri River from Bismarck, were called to Spirit of Life Catholic Church at around 9 a.m. Tuesday and arrested the 21-year-old man on drug, criminal mischief and indecent exposure charges. Formal charges were pending.

Deputy police Chief Lori Flaten says the man had been at the church earlier trying to bless people and was asked to leave. She says he later returned, stripped, entered the fountain, and then walked down the aisle performing a lewd act.

Flaten says preschool children were at the service. She says the church plans to drain, sterilize and re-bless the holy water.