Priest undergoes surgery after brutal accident in church

The father Yuniel Alfonso Quintero, known as Father Lolo, was successfully operated on for his hip this Friday in Cienfuegos, three days after falling from the roof of a church in Cienfuegos and suffering severe fractures to his hip and skull.

The Diocese of Cienfuegos issued an official medical report today stating that the priest has emerged from the operating room following hip surgery, as communicated through the General Vicar, Father Manel Homar Toboso.

According to the information provided by the medical team, particularly by the trauma specialist, the possible injuries from head trauma seem to be ruled out, which is encouraging news for the faithful who have been closely following the priest's progress.

On Tuesday, the priest was urgently admitted to the intensive care unit of the Dr. Gustavo Aldereguía Lima General University Hospital in the city of Cienfuegos, with fractures in his hip and skull as a result of the fall.

The injuries Quintero sustained in the accident have caused concern among the faithful and the Catholic community of the region, who are closely following the priest's recovery and are awaiting new medical reports that confirm his improvement.

So far, the causes of the accident have not been revealed. It is unknown whether the father was carrying out any repair work on the roof of the property, or if other circumstances led to his fall.

Many churches in the country are suffering from severe structural deterioration due to accumulated damage from leaks and years of neglect in maintenance.

In June 2025, a portion of the cross of the San Antonio de Padua church in Cárdenas collapsed, leaving two people injured.

The accident involving the parish priest of Cienfuegos occurred at a very sensitive time for the Catholic Church in Cuba, as just days before, the emeritus bishop Jorge Enrique Serpa Pérez passed away at the age of 84. He was a figure of great significance for Cuban Catholicism, with a life marked by exile and faith.

After his ordination as a priest in Belgium in 1968, the Cuban regime prevented Serpa from returning to the country for 31 years, during which time he carried out his ministry in the Archdiocese of Bogotá, Colombia.

Upon returning to the island in 1999, he was integrated into the Presbyteral Council of Havana and served as parish priest, episcopal vicar, and rector of the Major Seminary of San Cristóbal de La Habana.