A priest in Mozambique died trying to imitate Jesus who went without food for 40 days. How real is human endurance?
Reporting from the BBC, Sunday (19/2/2023) Pastor Francisco Barajah (39) died in Mozambique after trying to fast 40 days. He died on the 25th day.
The founder of Santa Trindade Evangelical Church lost so much weight that he couldn't get up. His wife rushed him to a hospital in the capital Beira, where he was given rehydration serum.
But unfortunately, his digestive organs are not damaged due to acute anemia. He also lacks red blood cells which carry oxygen.
Barajah besides the priest is a teacher of French in the city of Messica. Members of his church are known to fast, but not for long.
The story of Jesus fasting for 40 days is stated in the Gospel of Matthew 4:1-2 which reads, "So Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the Devil. And after fasting forty days and forty nights, Jesus finally became hungry."
Actually according to science, how long can humans live without eating and drinking? As reported by the BBC, Dr. Mike Stroud, senior lecturer in medicine and nutrition at the University of Southampton, England, said that humans might be able to live 60 days without food.
"The body needs more than just calories, it will start shutting down organs one by one. But this can still take up to 60 days until death finally occurs," he said.
Catherine Collins, spokeswoman for the British Dietetics Association said when the body stops getting food, the body will survive from the sugar stored in the body. The liver and muscles store glucose as glycogen. This glycogen is later converted into glucose.
If glucose runs out, fat will be converted into a secondary energy source called ketones. If the fat runs out, the body will recycle protein from the digestive system and from the muscles to be used as energy. However, it will use up important body tissue.