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The priest Yuniel Quintero, affectionately known as "Lolo" and pastor of the Parishes of Our Lady of Carmen in Rodas and Our Lady of Charity in Cartagena, suffered an accident this Tuesday after falling from the roof of a church in Cienfuegos, Cuba.
The Diocese of Cienfuegos issued an official statement informing about the incident through the General Vicar, Fr. Manel Homar Toboso, who communicated the condition of the priest to the parishioners.
According to the latest medical report, Mr. Quintero was transferred to the Multipurpose Intensive Care Unit of the Dr. Gustavo Aldereguía Lima University General Hospital "for close monitoring of the consequences of the fractures sustained in the hip and skull, also presenting possible other minor fractures in the right limb."
The diocese specifically requested the faithful not to go to the hospital for the time being: "Until it is indicated when it will be possible to make visits."
In its statement, the ecclesiastical institution called the community to prayer: "As a diocesan Church, we join in confident prayer for his swift recovery, placing him in the hands of the Lord and under the intercession of the Virgin Mary."
The accident occurs in a context of severe deterioration of religious infrastructure in Cuba, exacerbated by decades of economic crisis and the effects of hurricanes like Ian in 2022.
The roofs and structures of many historic churches show accumulated damage due to leaks and lack of maintenance, a situation that has led to similar incidents in recent years.
In June 2025, the cross of the San Antonio de Padua church in Cárdenas partially collapsed, leaving two people injured due to accumulated structural deterioration.
The accident involving P. Quintero occurs just two days after the death of Bishop Jorge Serpa, a figure born in Cienfuegos and linked to the diocese, who passed away on April 19, 2026, dealing another blow to the Cienfuegos Catholic community.
The Our Lady of Carmen Parish of Rodas, one of the two parishes overseen by the injured priest, has historical roots dating back to 1878, and its current structure dates from 1885.
The Dr. Gustavo Aldereguía Lima University General Hospital, where P. Quintero is currently admitted, is the main hospital center in the province of Cienfuegos and has had a Multipurpose Intensive Care Unit since 1979.
The official statement from the Diocese concluded with Psalm 23 as a message of hope for the priest's recovery: "The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want."
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