A Toronto holy man stands charged with behaviour hardly becoming of one.

The congregation at the Mount Zion Revival Church of the Apostles has long called Reverend Frank Lawrence their spiritual leader, which likely means many were stunned at the news he'll stand trial for alleged sex assaults and threatening death reportedly in connection with what police allege were bizarre exorcisms.

Lawrence is charged with the sexual assaults of two women, including one of his former parishioners who claims she was promised a spiritual healing in a ritual of baths that involved alcohol, onions and oils. The woman ended up pregnant, and now has a little one-year-old girl.

A second woman alleges the reverend went through a special ritual with her that involved meeting over a fresh grave where he actually pushed her down and sex with her. She believes that's when she also conceived a child.

Lawrence reportedly founded the church, which ran out of a strip plaza location at Oakwood Avenue and Rogers Road for 25 years. The bizarre trial also includes allegations Lawrence threatened to kill one of the victims as well as the church treasurer.