Authorities say a priest found two people having sex beneath a statue of the Virgin Mary at a Roman Catholic church in the Jersey Shore.

Seaside Heights police say 43-year-old Anthony Getchius, of Newark, and 48-year-old Noelle Smart, of Jersey City, are facing lewdness charges.

Authorities say the pair were found around 12:30 p.m. Tuesday in "a sacred area" on the grounds of Our Lady of Perpetual Help. They were in a secluded garden located between the rectory and the church, which is next door to police headquarters.

It wasn't known Wednesday if either Getchius or Smart have retained attorneys. Telephone numbers for the pair could not be located.