A 20-year-old Chilean man who jumped into a lion's cage reportedly had a "messianic delusion" and was trying to "provoke a miracle, not a suicide attempt".
Franco Luis Ferrada Roman jumped into a lion enclosure at Santiago Metropolitan Zoo, stripped naked and wrapped his arms around the neck of one of the two lions in the compound.
It was captured on video by onlookers (Warning: Graphic video).
He was hospitalised with severe injuries to his head, pelvis and chest, but is expected to survive. Two of the lions in the enclosure were shot dead, in accordance with zoo policy.
Letters and drawings by Ferrada Roman suggest he was suffering from "mystic messianic delusion", as he referred to himself as Jesus.
"Angel of mine, protect me from the enemy. I have the power to do what I want," the note read.
"The devil is scared of me; I will lock him up back where he never should have come out of."
It is thought that the man was inspired by delusions around the biblical story of Daniel and the lions.
The letter, which said the "apocalypse had arrived", was accompanied by drawings suggesting he was Jesus.
"He was convinced that he was talking to the lions and due to his divine power they would not hurt him," said Dr Italo Sigala, a psychiatrist for the local medical service's legal department, according to the Daily Express.
"It was an intent to provoke a miracle, not a suicide attempt. He wanted to provoke the lions to show the public his divinity. He wanted to repeat the miracle of the prophet David," Sigala said.
"When he wakes up, rather than concluding that he is not Jesus because he was attacked, he will most likely look for another explanation that maintains his superior perception."
The director of Santiago Zoo, Alejandra Montalba described the death of the two lions as like losing "two members of our family".
On Monday a private funeral for the lions was held at the zoo and candlelit vigils continue for the animals.
