Christianity 18 hours ago
Pastor killed by crocodile during water baptism
By Caleb Parke | Fox News
A crocodile killed a pastor during water baptisms in a lake in southern Ethiopia Sunday. (Reuters)
A water baptism ceremony held near a lake turned into a horrific tragedy when the pastor was reportedly grabbed by a crocodile Sunday.
Pastor Docho Eshete was baptizing at least 80 members of his Protestant congregation at Lake Abaya, in southern Ethiopia, an area known to have a huge crocodile population, when one of the creatures leaped out of the water and grabbed him.
"He baptized the first person and he passed on to another one,” a local resident told the BBC. “All of a sudden, a crocodile jumped out of the lake and grabbed the pastor.”
Pastor Docho died from injuries on his legs, back and hands despite efforts from the congregation, fishermen and residents trying to save him, policeman Eiwnetu Kanko said.
The crocodile escaped as the group used fishing nets to prevent it from taking the pastor’s lifeless body.
eta: I was baptized in a heated baptistry in front of the congregation. My only worry at the time would the pastor let me come up for air.