A preacher from Mozambique passed away after fasting for 40 days in an effort to break the world record set by Jesus on the Mount of Olives in the Bible.
The death of Francisco Barajah, the pastor and founder of the Santa Trindade Evangelical Church in the central province of Manica, was confirmed on Wednesday.
He was sent to a hospital in Beira while in critical condition, where he passed away while receiving medical care.
He had dropped so much weight after 25 days of fasting that he was unable to move, stand up, or even take a bath.
Days later, at the insistence of relatives and believers, he was taken to a hospital but attempts to get him back to health were unsuccessful.
Believers at his church and his neighbours have been unsurprised at the turn of events, due to his extreme weight loss and disfigured body frame in recent days.