A Connecticut man is behind bars after attempting to steal a handful of communion wafers from a Florida church.
Parishioners at the St. Martin de Porres Catholic Church in Jensen Beach tackled and held 33-year-old John Samuel Ricci, of Canton, CT, after he snatched a handful of wafers from the priest during Sunday Mass.
He tried to leave, but "the enraged and offended parishioners stood in his way", according to the police report. He reportedly cursed at them.
One of the parishioners was pushed to the ground and suffered minor injuries, while another was taken to a hospital after complaining of chest pains.
Ricci was charged with two counts of simple battery, theft and disruption of a religious assembly.
(The Smoking Gun has the incident report.)
