Brazilian Priest Caught with Parishioner’s Fiancée Under Sink

A Brazilian priest was discovered hiding a parishioner’s fiancée beneath a bathroom sink, igniting a scandal that has reverberated through the small town of Nova Maringá. On October 13, 2023, Father Luciano Braga Simplicio was confronted by an agitated group of men in the parish house of Our Lady of Aparecida Parish, located approximately 300 miles east of the Bolivian border. The situation escalated quickly as the fiancée’s groom-to-be expressed his outrage at the priest.

The confrontation began when the group suspected the priest had secretly brought the woman, aged 21, to his residence next to the church. According to reports from the community blog Pelo Bem de São José, Simplicio allegedly invited her to his home while her fiancé was away. As the angry men demanded answers, the priest, clad only in gym shorts, attempted to exit the room multiple times but was blocked by the group determined to uncover the truth.

Tensions heightened when the group insisted that Simplicio unlock a door believed to conceal the missing woman. In a dramatic moment captured on video, one man resorted to using a stool to break open a locked bedroom door. Upon entering the bathroom, they discovered the fiancée hiding beneath the sink, wearing only a tank top and shorts. She was reportedly in a distressed state, crying on the floor.

Both the priest and the woman denied any sexual relations, with Simplicio asserting that she was simply in the bathroom to shower after a long day of work at the church. This claim has been met with skepticism, particularly given the circumstances of their meeting.

The incident has drawn significant attention, leading to a viral video that has caused rifts within the tight-knit community. In response to the scandal, officials from the Diocese of Diamantino, which oversees Simplicio and the parish, announced the initiation of an internal investigation. The diocese released a statement emphasizing that “all the necessary canonical measures are already being duly taken” to address the situation.

The investigation will determine whether Simplicio violated the 1983 Code of Canon Law, which prohibits priests of the Latin church from engaging in any sexual or affective relationships. The woman involved has also filed a police report, alleging that the video of the incident was disseminated improperly following the confrontation.

As the investigation unfolds, the community grapples with the implications of these events, reflecting the complexities of faith, trust, and personal relationships within a small town. The diocese has requested prayers and understanding from the public as they navigate this challenging situation.