Dancing priests become Internet sensation

Rev. David Rider (left) and Rev. John Gibson dance at the Pontifical North American College in Rome earlier in the month.

A video of a pair of duelling, dancing American priests studying in Rome has gone viral, following the footsteps of a now-famous Italian nunwhose Alicia Keyes-esque voice won her a singing contest and a record contract. The Rev. David Rider (29) of New York, and the Rev. John Gibson (28) of Milwaukee, first shot to Internet fame when they were filmed in April during a fundraiser at the North American College, the elite American seminary up the hill from the Vatican.

Rev. Rider warmed up the crowd with a lively tap-dance routine, only to be pushed aside by Rev. Gibson’s fast-footed Irish dance.

At the back of the room, journalist Joan Lewis recorded the event and later posted on YouTube.

“All of a sudden the numbers started rising and rising,” Ms. Lewis told

The Associated Press . The video has nearly 260,000 views.

Their Internet success has drawn comparisons to Sr. Cristina Scuccia, who won the Italian edition of The Voice in June with a series of unadorned pop song performances, in full habit. Her first album features a cover of Madonna’s Like a Virgin .

As with Sr. Scuccia, the priests’ online popularity was tinged with criticism. Some commentators wrote that the priests shouldn’t have been dancing under a crucifix and a painting of Pope Francis, calling it "disrespectful". “We would just refer them to the Bible,” Rev. Rider says, “where the Lord tells us to live with joy.”