Police unit in Russian Far East baptized en masse

Almost all the patrol police in the city of Vladivostock in Russia's Far East have been baptized en masse at their headquarters, Russian NTV reported on Thursday.

The company's commander, Gennadiy Vasilchenko, said he thought of the idea two years ago and was surprised by the unanimity of his men's agreement to the baptism.

The force also decided to have their police station blessed by a priest, and to hang an icon in the recreation room .

"After a brief sermon, the policemen were shown how to cross themselves and were taught a prayer.

According to the rules of the ceremony, the policemen had to unlace their boots in a small room, all at once, which was done with considerable difficulty and caused further delay," the television said.

"We all have our professional sense of duty, but now we shall have our spiritual duty as well," Vasilchenko said, in remarks broadcast by the television.

The television said the local internal affairs department' s view was that mass baptism could only improve the attitude to work of the force, which will now be attending an Orthodox church service every month.

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