Child sex scandals roiling through the Roman Catholic Church spread to Brazil after the Vatican said three priests were under investigation following allegations of child abuse.

The Vatican's acknowledgement takes controversies that have rocked the Church in the US and more recently in Europe to the country with the largest Catholic population in the world. About 74 per cent of Brazil's 190 million citizens, or roughly 140 million people, identify as Catholics.

SBT television last week aired video from a hidden camera showing Fr Marques Barbosa, 82, having sex with a 19-year-old boy in the northeastern state of Alagoas.

After the act, the priest's face is identified as he looks towards the camera and says "Who's there?" "Who is it?"

The report on the programme Conexao Reporter also included charges by three former altar boys that they too had been sexually abused by local priests.

After the show was aired, Alagoas bishop Valerio Breda ordered the removal from church work of priests Luiz Marques Barbosa, Edilson Duarte and Raimundo Gomes.

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