A Sunday Mass at the Cathedral of Lima, Peru, was dramatically interrupted when a powerful 6.1-magnitude earthquake struck the nation’s central coast, shaking the capital and the nearby port province of Callao.
Cardinal Carlos Castillo had just completed the first main part of the service and was receiving offerings from worshippers when the tremor struck at 11:35 local time (16:35 GMT). Many in the congregation remained seated, visibly alarmed, while others rushed out of the church in panic. Despite the shock, there were no reports of injuries or structural damage at the cathedral.
TV Peru, which was broadcasting the Mass live, swiftly cut away from the interior to show scenes from the surrounding streets. The choir continued singing as the cathedral trembled, and one of the readers urged calm from the pulpit: “Please remain calm, dear brothers and sisters. Stay in your seats, the cathedral is a safe space.” Cardinal Castillo resumed the rite once the immediate tension had eased.
Elsewhere in the city, an evangelical service was also caught in the quake. In video clips shared online, a pastor could be heard praying aloud: “Stronger, Father, stronger!” as the church shook around her.
Pastor Nelida Rojas, leading the service, interpreted the tremor as a sign from above and called on her congregation to remain inside and continue worshipping. “That means that our Heavenly Father is working! Don't be afraid,” she said.
Footage of the service, filmed live by parishioners expecting an ordinary Sunday gathering, quickly went viral. The congregation’s reaction ranged from applause to fervent praise, tinged with unease. No one left their seat. Some clapped, others raised their hands in worship.
The earthquake caused damage across both Lima and Callao, leaving one man dead and at least five others injured.
Police reported that the 36-year-old victim had been standing outside his vehicle in northern Lima when part of a fourth-floor wall from a nearby construction site collapsed, fatally striking him. Emergency services said five others were taken to hospital with injuries, and noted that roads and school buildings had also suffered damage.
Images broadcast by local media showed widespread destruction, including cracked buildings, fallen billboards, and vehicles crushed by debris.
Peru sits on the Pacific Ring of Fire, a seismically volatile zone where earthquakes and volcanic eruptions are frequent.