Devout Christian dies in attempt at 40-day fast

Published on 09/05/2006 01:14

A DEVOUT Christian has died 23 days into a religious fast.

Rosaline Gilbert, 34, originally from Gloucester, was just over half-way through her planned 40-day fast when the tragedy happened.

Her distraught family, who believe she had been surviving only on water, said yesterday she died "devoting herself to the Lord".

They said Ms Gilbert, who had moved to London when she was 18, had found God ten years ago and had since lived a strict Christian life.

"She used to say she was a child of God," her sister Juliet, 36, said yesterday.

"She wasn't any particular Christian denomination. She was so strong in her beliefs but she was still the same person - intelligent, bubbly and fashionable."

Ms Gilbert, who had mainly worked in the catering industry, started her fast on 19 March, drinking only water and reading the Bible, but died on 12 April, just days before Easter.

Hundreds of mourners gathered for Ms Gilbert's funeral service in Gloucester last week.

It is not clear why she had begun fasting, but the 40-day time-frame she set herself suggests she was doing it for Lent.

"We think maybe she hadn't drunk enough water," her sister said.

She added: "But she would have found some peace devoting herself to God."