THE INCIDENT AT THE CHURCH OF SAINT FRANCIS OF ASSIS RESULTED IN THE DEATH OF A WOMAN AND LEFT FIVE OTHER PEOPLE INJURED.
BY WELLINGTON DA COSTA GOMEZ – OWN WORK, CC BY-SA 4.0, HTTPS://COMMONS.WIKIMEDIA.ORG/W/INDEX.PHP?CURID=95390504
Newsroom(07/02/2025 13:20, Gaudium Press) On February 5th, part of the ceiling of the Church of Saint Francis of Assisi, known as the ‘golden church’, collapsed. According to the Fire Brigade, at least one person died and approximately five were injured in this incident in the Historic Center of Salvador, Bahia.
Witnesses recorded the damage caused by the partial collapse of the church. In the images circulating on social media, it is possible to see the central space of the church, where the faithful usually stay during Eucharistic celebrations, covered in debris.
One death confirmed so far
According to Sósthenes Macedo, Salvador’s Civil Defense coordinator, part of the church’s roof probably broke off and “with the weight of this upper space of the roof, the wood came down, overweight”.
The site has been tapped off by teams from the Civil and Military Police and the Fire Brigade, who are continuing to search for other possible victims. So far, the identity of the woman who died is unknown, only that she is a tourist from São Paulo.
Church decorated with 800 kilos
Founded at the beginning of the 18th century, the church is known as the ‘church of gold’ because it has around 800 kilos of gold in its decoration. The church is listed by IPHAN (National Historical and Artistic Heritage Institute) as a material heritage site in Brazil and is considered one of the Seven Wonders of Portuguese Origin in the world. (EPC)
Compiled by Teresa Joseph
