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5188
qualitative
book
Shushan, Gregory. Near-Death Experience in Indigenous Religions. Oxford University Press. Chapter 3. Dona Beatriz Kimpa Vita. Pages not specified. 2018
Near-Death Experience in Indigenous Religions. Dona Beatriz Kimpa Vita. Chapter 3. 2018
1704
2018
F
Dona Beatriz Kimpa Vita was a devout Kongolese Catholic and medium in the traditional Kimpasi healing cult. In 1704, she fell gravely ill, with her illness lasting for a week and culminating in her death. She remained in this state before being revived from the dead. During her period of death, Kimpa Vita claimed to have journeyed to the Christian heaven where she had a direct encounter with Saint Anthony of Padua. Saint Anthony told her he had been sent from God to preach to the people through her, giving her specific religious and political instructions. Following this revelation, Saint Anthony entered her body and remained there permanently, a form of divine possession similar to traditional Kimpasi spirit possession. This initial NDE was not isolated - she subsequently established a weekly ritual of spiritual travel, claiming to die each Friday to commune with God in heaven, returning Sunday with fresh revelations. Transformed by her experience and possessed by Saint Anthony, she became a powerful prophet able to perform miracles including healings and weather control. Her teachings formed the basis of Antonianism, which taught that Jesus, Mary, and biblical figures were born in the Kongo. Her movement gained immense popularity during a time of civil wars and slave trade. In 1706, she was captured and burned at the stake as a heretic by order of King Pedro IV, though her movement had lasting impact.
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Unknown
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0
5
Weak Evidence
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Week-long illness culminating in death, revival witnessed
No specific verifiable observations reported
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8/8/2025
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