Priest suspended after conducting Mass on hoverboard

A Filipino priest has been suspended after footage of him conducting Christmas Eve Mass on a hoverboard went viral.

In the video, which was uploaded to the Facebook page of a local Catholic group, the priest can be seen singing a Christmas song while moving up and down the aisles of the church on the board.

While the video received a positive reception on social media, local clergy were less enthusiastic.

The diocese of San Pablo released a statement on its Facebook page condemning the incident, saying that what happened was "wrong".

The statement said: “The Eucharist demands utmost respect and reverence . . . Consequently, it is not a personal celebration where one can capriciously introduce something to get the attention of the people.

“The priest said that it was a wake-up call for him; he acknowledged that his action was not right and promised that it will not happen again.

“He will be out of the parish and will spend some time to reflect on this past event.

“He would like to apologise for what happened.”