This is the moment a thief clutching a huge Bible for cover pretends to pray while stealing a phone from a worshipper.

CCTV footage shows the man nervously glancing around the congregation at a chapel in Caruaru, Pernambuco, Brazil, on December 5.

He positions himself behind a woman deep in prayer with her eyes closed.

Moments later, he kneels, reaches into her handbag under her chair, and steals her phone.

The thief quickly stands, conceals the stolen item with the Bible, and exits the church.

When the woman discovered her phone was missing, she sought help from church elders, who reviewed the security footage.

The video revealed the thief was a regular worshipper.

When confronted at his home, he returned the phone and apologised for the theft.