Watch: 'He hit my baby!' - Priest accused of injuring baby during violent baptism

Shocking footage has emerged of a priest violently dunking a baby into water in front of a horrified mother during a baptism in Cyprus.

Footage shows the priest forcefully immersing the infant during the wild ceremony in Limassol on Saturday.

The baby's legs repeatedly bumped the edge of the metal font as he was dunked in an aggressive manner.

The priest can be seen awkwardly holding the baby up by his arm, before bumping him on the table numerous times.

The furious mother, Ntina Shitta, has since claimed the priest's actions left her baby "red and in shock", while also accusing him of hitting her son.

Shitta filed a complaint to the church after the ceremony which left the baby covered in red marks, according to the parents.

She said: "The priest hit my baby, we all shouted at him to be careful but he replied: 'I am responsible for the baptism'.

"'The baby became red and was in shock! This priest ruined our most beautiful day."

A priest in Cyprus has been accused of injuring a baby during the rite of baptism in a church near Limassol on Saturday. Photo / Ntina Shitta

In a television interview on Sunday, the priest offered his apologies to the family but denied any deliberate wrongdoing.

According to Greek Reporter the priest said he nearly dropped the baby and tried to finish the baptism quickly once he realised the baby was stressed.

"The truth is that the baby at some point almost slipped from my hands and as you can see in the video I placed my arm under his hip to protect it.

"There was no intention on my part to hit or injure the baby.

"I have baptised many children. When I realised that the baby was in stress, I tried to complete the ritual as soon as possible."