Police probe ‘graveyard satanism’

By Martin Hellicar

“SATANIC activity” in a graveyard in the Ypsonas suburb of Limassol has got the church worried and police investigating.

The local priest, Father Ioakim, said yesterday a number of “shocking items” had been found at the cemetery.

“At around 12.45pm on Sunday a woman rang the church to tell us something strange had been going on at the graveyard,” Father Ioakim said.

“I went up to investigate and found a human bone and a black paper sheet spread on the ground with a demonic face on the front of it and inscriptions scrawled on the back of it, in Latin, English and Hebrew,” he said. The priest said the English scrawlings read “Sacrifice to Satan”.

There were also five half-burnt candles placed at the points of two triangles drawn on the ground around the black sheet, Father Ioakim said. “The candles were of a type given to those who go on pilgrimage to the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem,” he added.

“There is absolutely no doubt satanists are involved,” Father Ioakim said. He said police had taken the “satanic” items for examination and had launched an investigation into the matter.

He also said “strange goings-on” had been reported at the same cemetery two years ago but no concrete evidence had been found that time.

The priest said the church was very concerned about satanic activity and the dangers it posed for young people.

Police said the matter was being investigated and the large bone found by the priest had been sent for tests to determine if it was human. A police spokesman said satanic activity was illegal, but could not say what suspected satanists could be charged with under law.

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