Hungarian priest gets on skateboard to connect

A video of the Reverend Zoltan Lendvai, 45, in action has attracted almost 170,000 hits on YouTube.

The video, Funny Priest Skateboarding, shows Rev Lendvai, clad in full clerical garb, displaying his moves.

It is not clear whether the reverend has mastered the nose-grind or the kick-flip, but his skills have helped attract young people to his church.

Rev Lendvai, whose first board bore the papal coat of arms, believes skateboarding can pave the way to God for young people.

He says his distinctive method of spreading the word on wheels is inspired by Saint John Bosco. The 19th century Italian priest and teacher dedicated his life to improving the lot of poor young people, using games as part of their education.

Three teenage boys who had never attended church before started coming regularly after he showed off his skateboard tricks, said Rev Lendvai, who lives and preaches in Redics, a small village on Hungary's border with Slovenia.

However his four-wheeled ministry does not come cheap: he has given away at least six skateboards to his young parishioners. Kazinform cites BBC. See www.bbc.co.uk for full version.