A student died in a reenactment of the Passion of the Christ at the Claratian University of Philosophy in Nigeria. The incident happened on Friday (15).
Suel Ambrose, 25, a firstyear philosophy graduate, played Saint Peter and passed out during the show. The audience thought that the moment was part of the show and therefore took a while to react.
According to British tabloid Mirror, Ambrose fell to the ground after the biblical scene in which Saint Peter cuts off a soldier’s ear to protect Jesus. But soon it was noticed that he was bleeding and they ran to help.
The man was taken to the Federal Medical Center in Owerri, capital of the Nigerian city of Imo, and was pronounced dead at the hospital, according to British publication BBC.
Student friends offer solidarity on social networks; Death occurred during the enactment of the Passion of Christ
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According to local newspaper Vanguard, a university source identified as Michael Eluwa said the boy fell during the performance and started bleeding shortly after. “When it happened, we initially thought it was a joke and part of the staging. When he couldn’t get up, we knew it was serious business and he was rushed to the rescue,” he said.
The witness said the victim was taken to a hospital before his condition worsened; he was even transferred to a second health station, but was pronounced dead there. Official information about the student’s cause of death has not yet been released.
A student affairs spokesman, Claratian Representative Chukwuemeka Iheme, said the university would soon issue a statement on the case.