GARDAÍ are investigating photographs showing a man in priest's vestments performing a sex act on the altar of a country church in Co Cork.
The graphic images show two men engaged in intimate acts on the altar of the small church in the Diocese of Cloyne.
A Garda spokesman said the images had been reported on Wednesday.
"Gardaí at Cobh Garda station received a report in relation to an incident in a church in the diocese," he said.
"The incident was reported on May 2 2018 and investigations are on going."
A spokesperson for the diocese told the Irish Independent there could be no further comment for legal reasons due to "the criminal nature of the alleged incident".
There is no suggestion the sexual acts were not consensual. It was unclear when the photographs were taken or if the man wearing vestments is a priest.
Under Catholic teaching, it is sacrilege to defile a sacred place or use sacred objects for an unworthy purpose.
