Henry Hildebrandt
Heinrich (Henry) Hildebrandt (born 1963) is a Mexican-Canadian religious leader, activist, and alleged conspiracy theorist. In 1991, Hildebrandt became pastor of a fundamentalist Church of God (Restoration) congregation in Aylmer, Ontario, a group described by former members as "controlling" and "cult-like". Hildebrandt also has the title of Apostle in the global presbytery of the Church of God (Restoration). In, what some suggest, is an effort to fulfill church prophesy and attract new members, Hildebrandt became an outspoken critic of COVID-19 restrictions and led his congregation in defying restrictions on gatherings since April 2020, which he alleges is a government conspiracy to destroy the true Christian church. Early life Hildebrandt is a former Mennonite who was born in 1963 to a Plautdiesch-speaking family, near Cuauahtemoc, Chihuahua, Mexico. At a young age, Hildebrandt left the Mennonite church to join the German Church of God. Hildebrandt immigrated to Canada in 1985 and became a Canadian citizen in 1989. Soon thereafter he joined the Church of God (Restoration) sect and quickly became a leader. Child abuse controversy In 2001, Hildebrandt and his congregation were thrust into the national limelight due to a clash between a family in the congregation and the local Children's Aid