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church congregation bowed to official demands on Sunday to return the body of its pastor, who has lain in state in the church since Sept. 11, to hospital despite some members steadfastly believing that he will be resurrected 30 days after his death.

Pastor Paulus Tribrata'€™s remains were taken back to the Dr. Sardjito General Hospital after Yogyakarta Mayor Haryadi Suyuti and the police managed to convince the church'€™s leaders and his relatives that keeping the body inside the church posed health and security risks to the public.

'€œWe warned them that there was a time limit for keeping a corpse in public so that it won'€™t pose a health risk,'€ Haryadi told journalists.

Congregants and leaders of the Tabernakel Church believe that Paulus'€™ soul is only visiting Jesus in heaven and he will return after a month.

Paulus died of a complication from diabetes at the Dr. Sardjito hospital on Sept. 11. It is believed by some followers that he had died on a previous occasion but returned to life. Neither the mayor nor the police examined the condition of the pastor'€™s body. Church spokesperson Rev. Sondang Rajagukguk was one of those who believed that Paulus would eventually come back to life.

Not everyone shared such blind faith, however, and, as Rev. Sondang said, the church would eventually bury Paulus'€™ body if he had not been resurrected after 30 days. '€œWe will continue to mourn for his passing for 30 days and bury him if he is not restored to life,'€ she said.

Some people in the neighborhood said they were aware of the pastor'€™s body being kept inside the church but were unconcerned.