Brazilian pastor savagely stabbed in the neck during televised service

'We are in shock,' expressed Bishop Jorge Pinheiro.

A popular Brazilian pastor was brutally attacked and stabbed during a televised church service in Sao Paulo on January 8.

LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - "The pastor kindly leaned down to embrace a young man, who took out a knife and stabbed him in the throat," one witness, Bishop Jorge Pinheiro, told AFP, according to the Daily Star.

Evangelical pastor, Vlademiro Santiago began his service the same way he does every Sunday, but he had no idea one of his congregants would forever alter his life.

"We are in shock," expressed Pinheiro. "We could never have imagined that such a thing could happen in a church - to see the pastor holding his neck with blood flowing from it."

Security guards were able to confine the 20-year-old assailant, who was described as unstable and possibly upset by something Santiago said in a previous service.

Santiago was rushed to the hospital and received 25 stitches. He has since been released and has published a video message for his attacker.

"May God bless and forgive the person who did this."

Although Santiago, fortunately, survived this attack, there are so many attacks on the religious where the victims do not survive. Just last year, a priest in France, Fr. Hamel, was murdered during his mass, and another in India, Fr. Tom, was kidnapped by terrorists and remains in captive.

According to Open Doors, there are at least 50 different countries where Christians are heavily persecuted for their religion. Millions of people live life afraid of expressing their faith. This is not ok. This is not how Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ would want for us to live.

Please join us in prayer for the safety of all God's children. May we find the world we can pray without fear.

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