Francisco Barajah, a Mozambican pastor collapsed and died after fasting for 40 days, in an attempt to copy Jesus Christ who is recorded in the Bible to have fasted for 40 days.
Barajah was the founder of the Santa Trindade Evangelical Church in the central province of Manica.
He reportedly died on Wednesday while being treated at a hospital in Beira where he was taken for treatment after his condition deteriorated, BBC reported.
He was taken to the hospital by his relations who were worried that he had lost so much weight after fasting for 25 days and could no longer stand or walk.
Once he arrived at the hospital, he was diagnosed with acute anaemia and failure of his digestive organ.
He was re-hydrated with IV fluids, and doctors attempted to get Barajah to eat liquid foods. However, it was too late, and he passed away on Wednesday.
Barajah, the BBC reported, was rehydrated with serums and an attempt was made to introduce liquid foods, but it was too late and and he died Wednesday.
Members of his church said it was common for the pastor and his followers to fast, but not for that extreme and dangerous length of time.
The pastor, who was also a French teacher in the town of Messica in the central province of Manica, bordering Zimbabwe, was 39.
