Mexico: Baby's Baptism Turns Into Funeral As Earthquake Levels Church, Kills 11 Family Members

Mexico
Facunda Villanueva Perez, 67, whose sister was among the 11 killed at the Atzala church in Mexico, holds her grandchild and mourns with relatives at the victims' wake Wednesday.  LA Times

What should have been a joyful occasion ended in tragedy after 7.1 magnitude earthquake rocked a Mexico church during a baby's baptism, killing the infant and nearly a dozen family members.

The family had gathered at the Santiago Apostol Church in Atzalafor the 2-month-old girl's christening when the quake hit, according to reports. A total of 11 people - including four children - died after the the church crumbled. In total, only three people made it out alive: the girl's father, Graciano Villanueva Perez, the priest and the priest's assistant, Lorenzo Sanchez.

Perez, who lost his wife, sister, daughter, son-in-law and two grandchildren during the baptism, spoke through tears as he recalled the ordeal to The Los Angeles Times.

"I am in profound pain," he said. "I am shattered...I'm the only one left from my family."

"It was a scene of horror, sadness with most of the people inside the church dying," Sanchez told the AP, explaining that those who survived moved to the edges of the church when the swaying started while those who died didn't have time to do so.

"One of the things they taught us is to stick to the firm walls of our church, which is old and its structure a bit deteriorated," he said.

Residents dug through rubble for hours before finding the deceased, and then laid the bodies out on the street and covered them from the rain. Eleven coffins were lined up on Wednesday as mourning friends, relatives and locals gathered to remember the family.

"These were all people we knew - this is a small town," said Carmen Moran, who was among the mourners. "That was Aurelia," she said, pointing at a coffin decorated with white frills.

"We've never had something like this here," said Marisela Rodriguez, 45, who runs a shop down the street from the church. "This was terrible tragedy, but thank God it did not happen ... on Sunday. The church is always packed then. Practically the whole town comes out. There would have been so many more killed."

The earthquake, centered in Puebla state, is the deadliest in Mexico since a 1985 tremor on the same date killed thousands. Across the country, it killed at least 273 people.

On Friday, President Enrique Pena Nieto said 137 of the deaths occurred in Mexico City. He said he believed people could still be trapped alive in a number of buildings

In its preliminary assessment, the United States Geological Survey predicted 100 to 1,000 fatalities and economic losses of between $100 million and $1 billion for an earthquake of this scale. NPR's Jon Hamilton notes that the densely populated city is "especially vulnerable to earthquakes, because much of it is built on a former lake bed, which can amplify the effects of distant quakes."

    Most Popular
  • Is 'The Last Supper' worth watching? Audience and critics weigh in

    Is 'The Last Supper' worth watching? Audience and critics weigh in

    Faith-based films often receive mixed reactions, and The Last Supper is no exception. The movie attempts to bring a fresh perspective to one of the most iconic moments in Christian history, but does it succeed? Some reviews from critics and audiences provide insight into its strengths and shortcomings.

  • ‘The Chosen’ Season 5: The darkest season yet—What to know before watching

    The wait is over—The Chosen is back with its fifth season, and this time, things are getting intense. The new episodes dive straight into the final days of Jesus’ life, covering some of the most emotional and dramatic moments in the Bible. If you’ve been following the series, you already know that The Chosen isn’t just about retelling familiar stories—it’s about bringing them to life in a way that feels real.

  • Massacres in Syria: Over 1,000 dead, including Christians and Alawites

    Syria’s coastal regions have been devastated by a series of massacres, with reports indicating that over 1,000 people—many from Christian and Alawite communities—have been killed in brutal attacks. Entire families have been wiped out, and survivors are fleeing in search of safety as sectarian violence escalates.

  • Kim Sae-ron and Wheesung: The tragic irony of Korean society and the principles of happiness

    Not long ago, the media was in an uproar over actress Kim Sae-ron’s passing. Just months before, the same people who had relentlessly criticized her for her DUI incident were now expressing sympathy, saying, "The world was too harsh on her." The irony is impossible to ignore.

  • Newsboys move forward as a quartet after Michael Tait’s departure

    After more than a decade as the lead singer of the Newsboys, Michael Tait has officially parted ways with the band, marking a significant shift in the Christian rock group’s lineup. The remaining members—Jeff Frankenstein, Jody Davis, Duncan Phillips, and Adam Agee—have assured fans that they will continue forward, embracing a new season of music and ministry.