A Mozambican pastor died in the middle of a prolonged fast after he attempted to emulate Jesus’ 40 days of fasting.
According to BBC News, the pastor and founder of the Santa Trindade Evangelical Church in the central province of Manica, Francisco Barajah, died during a 40-day fast.
The pastor died at a hospital in the city of Beira, where he was evacuated in critical condition.
Barajah spent 25 days without food or water and lost weight to the point where he could not stand up. He was aged 39.
His relatives and followers took him to the hospital where he was diagnosed with acute anaemia and failure of his digestive organs.
He was rehydrated with serums and an attempt was made to introduce liquid foods, but it was too late and he died on Wednesday.
The pastor was also a French teacher in the town of Messica in the central province of Manica, on the country’s western border, close to Zimbabwe.
Members of the Santa Trindade Church said it was common for Barajah and his followers to fast, but not for that long.