Patriarch of the Georgian Orthodox Church dunks babies roughly underwater

Babies look visibly panicked by violent method and burst into tears

Ilia II blessed 780 children in yesterday's Epiphany ceremony in Tbilisi

But his methods have been called 'cruel', 'abuse', 'evil', 'shameful' and 'insane'

An Orthodox Archbishop has caused controversy with his violent baptism methods.

The Patriarch of the Georgian Orthodox Church, Ilia II, has been filmed roughly dunking tiny babies into a baptismal font, both legs-first and headfirst, in yesterday's celebration of the Epiphany.

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Holding the infants firmly between his hands, the 84-year-old Russian forcibly spins the children round, splashing them into the water at a high speed.

The Patriarch of the Georgian Orthodox Church, Ilia II, has been filmed roughly dunking tiny babies into a baptismal font, both legs first and headfirst, in yesterday's celebration of the Epiphany

Holding the infants firmly between his hands, the 84-year-old Russian, forcibly spins the children round splashing them into the water at a high speed, seemingly without a care for the baby's well-being

Needless to say, all the little ones have panic written all over their face as they are plunged under the water, and burst into tears afterwards.

According to Euronews, the patriarch blessed 780 children in the ceremony in Tbilisi using this rather violent method.

Ilia II conducts mass baptism ceremonies four times a year as a solution to address Georgia's declining birth rate.

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In late 2007 he offered to personally baptise any child born to a family that already has at least two children, as long as the new child was to be born after his announcement.

This has allegedly spurred a national baby boom, as to be baptised by the Patriarch is a great honour. According to various polls, he is considered the most influential person in Georgia.

Many people have criticism the Patriarchy's rough methods, calling them: 'cruelty', 'abuse', 'evil', 'shameful' and 'insane'

According to Euronews, the patriarch blessed 780 children in the ceremony in Tbilisi using this rather violent method

Needless to say, all the little ones have panic written all over their face as they are plunged under the water, and burst into tears afterwards

He also becomes a godfather to every child he baptises, meaning he now has roughly 30,000 godchildren.

However many people have criticism the Patriarchy's rough methods, calling them: 'cruelty', 'abuse', 'evil', 'shameful' and 'insane'.

Ex-Soviet Georgia is overwhelmingly Orthodox Christian and less than 1 percent of the population is Catholic, according to government figures.

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The Georgian Orthodox Church is one of the more conservative in the Orthodox world.