There is nothing I can say that would make this any more incredible:

SAO PAULO, Brazil — A Roman Catholic priest who floated off under hundreds of helium party balloons was missing today off the southern coast of Brazil.

…Rev. Adelir Antonio de Carli lifted off from the port city of Paranagua on Sunday afternoon, wearing a helmet, thermal suit and a parachute. He was reported missing about eight hours later after losing contact with port authority officials, according to the treasurer of his Sao Cristovao parish, Denise Gallas.

Gallas said by telephone that the priest wanted to break a 19-hour record for the most hours flying with balloons to raise money for a spiritual rest-stop for truckers in Paranagua, Brazil’s second-largest port for agricultural products….

A video of Carli posted on the G1 Web site of Globo TV showed the smiling 41-year-old priest slipping into a flight suit, being strapped to a seat attached to a huge column of green, red, white and yellow balloons, and soaring into the air to the cheers of a crowd.

Leave aside the troubling fact that they still haven’t found him and just take a moment to picture that image, in your mind. Picture Rev. de Carli waving and grinning (“Tchau! Tchau!”) as the Brazilians cheer and the balloons float upward. You will be happy all day.

(via Pharyngula, which takes a rather more morbid attitude)