Celebrated televangelist Dr Morris Cerullo, is dead. The evangelist has been battling pneumonia over the past few days.
The legendary preacher died on Saturday in San Diego, California, United States at 88.
Born on October 2, 1931, Cerullo impacted many with his inspirational words and Christian teachings that spanned decades.
Morris Cerullo has traveled extensively around the world for his ministry, he is a father of the faith to many of today’s renowned spiritual leaders, Morris’s life has been an inspiration to many.
As an author, he published more than 80 books.
On July 9, a message posted on his Facebook page revealed that not all was well and the end was nigh for the preacher.
“Urgent Prayer Request: Dear Friends, we would appreciate your immediate prayers for Dr Cerullo who is being treated for pneumonia at the hospital. Please also pray for Theresa who has been working around the clock to assist in his care. She needs your prayers too for extra strength at this time. Thank you for all your thoughts and prayers for Morris and Theresa!” read the post which attracted over 32,000 reactions, 14,000 comments and 3,500 shares.
Born 88 years ago in Passaic, New Jersey, US, Cerullo grew to become one of the most listened to and watched preachers of all time, perhaps in the league of renowned televangelists like Billy Graham.
Young Cerullo grew up in orphanages after his parents died in a road crash. Having been born into a Jewish-Italian family, he converted to Christianity at the age of 14, a move which is said to have not gone well with the owners of the Orthodox Jewish orphanage. He ran away and started preaching at the age of 16.
He would later conduct several open-air crusades and ministry meetings across the world. His ministry was premised on healing and miracles. At the age of 59, he bought the assets of the bankrupt ministry of Jim Bakker.
An astute businessman, Cerullo invested in media and bought a cable news network called PTL which he later renamed INSP-The Inspiration Network of which one of his sons would become CEO and later chairman.
The evangelist got married to Theresa in 1951 and were blessed with three children, David, Susan and Mark.
His ministry went beyond the US and to various continents in the world including Africa.
He came to Uganda in August 2017 and He also visited Kenya, Tanzania and Ethiopia during that tour.