Story By: Maja Mishevksa, Sub Editor: Marija Stojkoska, Agency: Newsflash
Video Credit: CEN
This is the moment a churchgoer pushes a huge statue of Jesus over during mass whilst reportedly shouting “I am the devil”.
The incident took place during Sunday mass at the Nuestra Senora de los Angeles church, also known as San Francisco, located in the city centre of Guayaquil, in the eastern Ecuadorian province of Guayas and was recorded by CCTV cameras.
In the video, a woman can be seen standing at the pulpit when another woman, named in reports as Antonia, walks up the front of the church. Climbs u a low wall and pushes over a statue of Jesus.
She then climbs down as onlookers gather around and reports say the woman shouted “I am the devil! I want to wake Catholics up, you must adore a living God, not a dead God” when she pushed the statue over.
The statue, which is 60 years old, was damaged in the incident and Antonia was arrested and charged with causing damage against a piece of heritage.
Ecuadorian penal code states that those found guilty can face a sentence of three years in prison. The defence lawyer has claimed the woman suffers from mental health problems and asked for other measures rather than prison to be taken.
She has been released pending trial on 21st November.
The Archbishopric of Guayaquil has not commented on the case. According to priest Francisco Meza, it was a “very violent act” and he claimed that it had been planned.
It is unknown how much the reparation of the statue will cost.
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