A night of drugs and sex resulted in the death of a British clergyman and led to the arrest of a Belgian priest who spent the night with him, according to a report.
An unnamed 60-year-old priest called emergency services in Kalmthout for help with a 69-year-old colleague, also unnamed, sometime after midnight on Thursday, When first responders arrived, it was too late. Despite attempts to revive the clergyman, he was pronounced dead at the scene, according to CBS News.
Authorities were alerted to the situation and, upon searching the area, investigators found ecstasy pills at the site.
"It appears that the two men had used ecstasy and poppers together and had had sex. Two ecstasy pills were also found," the prosecutor's office said, per the news outlet. The priest was taken into custody and is facing charges related to the cleric's death.
While the investigation is ongoing, the case extends beyond one isolated incident and raises concerns about the culture of drug use within clerical circles.
On Saturday, Pope Francis made an appearance in Belgium and addressed the church's struggle with issues of abuse and accountability. He met with 17 survivors of clergy sexual abuse and promised to "offer all the help we can" to any affected victim seeking reparations from the church for their suffering, according to CBS News.
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