For years believers in Colombia, and then in Spain, confessed, were baptized and celebrated weddings under the direction of a fake priest. The impostor, who was never ordained, has been exposed just ahead of Christmas.

Miguel Angel Ibarra, who posed as a Roman Catholic priest, arrived in Spain in October 2017 from Colombia. He was put in charge of a church in Medina Sidonia in the south of the country with only 11,000 inhabitants. Before his Spanish trip he claimed to have worked in Colombia for many years.

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Miguel Ángel Ibarra, el falso sacerdote colombiano que fue descubierto en España https://t.co/5KpBlddVTWpic.twitter.com/DV3wEyxRvi — Diseño Paginas web Bucaramanga (@Paginasweb_COL) December 25, 2018

During this whole year the fake priest baptized, wed and heard the confessions of unsuspecting residents. Yet, this December ahead of Christmas the parish learnt the unpleasant truth – the clergyman was an imposter. He has never been ordained and, thus, has no authority to perform any holy rites.

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Ibarra was relieved of his duties, the local diocese of Cadiz and Ceuta said, and an investigation has started. He was ordered to return to his original archdiocese in Colombia.

The dioceses’ spokeswoman told AFP that Ibarra pretended to be a priest for the past 18 years. There is a small consolation for believers. The wedding and baptism ceremonies, carried out by the impostor, will still be recognized by the Church. Unfortunately, it doesn’t apply to the absolutions he gave at confessions.

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