Watch: Priest slaps crying baby during baptism ceremony

It's not unusual for a baby to cry during a baptism ceremony. What is strange is when a priest slaps the baby in an effort to quiet the child.

A Reddit user posted video that shows a priest using his left hand to slap the baby. The user wrote "This happened today in France, I'm really shocked," although an exact day and location was not specified.

The video, also posted on YouTube, has a French title that translates to "A priest slaps an infant during his baptism."

IN the vdieo, the priest first attempts to comfort the baby, hugging the child. When that doesn’t work, the priest quickly slaps the baby.

The man and woman in the video -- either the child’s parents or godparents -- were taken aback by the priest’s action.

The man wrestles the child away from the priest as the video ends.

Cox Media Group