DENVER (LifeSiteNews) — In January 2024, seminarians from Denver’s St. John Vianney Theological Seminary were taken on a ski trip at which they were encouraged to make individual “blood oaths” to a yeti-like figure.

The Archdiocese of Denver dismissed the actions as an “inappropriate prank,” while also removing the priest responsible from their leadership position.

Father John Nepil, who was charged with responsibility, spoke to The Pillar and acknowledged his wrongdoing by again asserting that it was a “prank” that took a bad turn.

As 15 seminarians slept in their retreat house, they were suddenly awakened and invited into a trailer to meet Fr. Nepil and a man dressed in a yeti suit—along with a dagger stained with a substance resembling blood.

Video obtained by The Pillar shows that a seminarian was told that the oath was a part of a “sacred tradition” and how this was the only way he could “enter the family.”

“The way it works, the only way you can enter into this family, is you got to make a blood oath,” a seminarian was told.

“If you enter into this family, there’s no going back.”

After threatening the seminarian with a knife, Fr. Nepil then instructs the seminarian to let out a “guttural scream” so as to perturb the other seminarians. After shaking hands with Fr. Nepil and the yeti, the seminarian is instructed to ensure that the other seminarians see him with what is claimed to be “grizzly bear blood” smeared on him.

In a statement regarding the alleged blood oath, the Archdiocese of Denver reported that its own investigation found the incident to be an ill-advised prank and a one-time occurrence.

“Fortunately, the investigation uncovered that the event was farce, that no oath had taken place, and at no time was there risk of bodily harm,” the archdiocese said in a statement to The Pillar.

“It was, however, part of a deeply imprudent and inappropriate prank.”

The Pillar was also informed by a priest familiar with the situation that all seminarians involved in the alleged blood oath were prayed over by an exorcist, during which each of the future priests formally renounced the so-called “oath.”

Dr. Taylor Marshall took to X (formerly Twitter) and expressed his astonishment in a video response to the news.

“What is going on at seminaries?” Marshall questioned. “Denver took the weird to a new level.”