Priests told to lose weight

A Romanian bishop has ordered his priests to lose weight.

Bishop Calinic fears his priests' fat tummies suggest they enjoy too many worldly pleasures.

He wants them to extend their fast over lent and recommends extended prayer sessions to reduce weight.

The bishop, in charge of the Arges region, said: "Oversized bellies only prove to people that priests have a good life and are not concentrating on their holy mission."

However, he says he is not recommending they take up sport, which was not appropriate for men of the cloth, adding: "Marathon prayer sessions will work much better."

His priests have all agreed to follow the advice, although some were quoted in the papers as saying they had always been "big boned".

Father Marioara, from Pitesti, says: "All the members of my family are a bit fat, it is genetic, and I do not believe I can lose weight no matter how hard I try."

Father Tintea said: "Being fat does not mean that I eat or live well, it is a matter of metabolism."

And Father Popescu added: "I do not believe that God dislikes big bellies. He brought into the world thin and fat people and makes no difference between them.

"But because I do not want people to believe I live an opulent life, I will try to lose some pounds during Lent as my bishop advises."