A 53-year-old man who shot himself in chest inside the sanctuary at St. Brendan’s Church in Norwood this morning is expected to survive, police said. The man, who wasn’t recognized by church leaders as a member or frequent visitor, is sedated and being treated at St. Barnabas Hospital.

Inspector Joseph Dowling, the commander of the 52nd Precinct, said the man was discovered after shooting himself by two people who were coming into the sanctuary to pray. They alerted someone on the maintenance staff who called for an ambulance.

Dowling said investigators are wrapping up the crime scene at the church tonight and hope to learn more about the man’s motives when he wakes up from being sedated, probably some time tomorrow. It appears the man turned a gun into his chest and fired. They are treating the case as a suicide attempt, he added.

He said they don’t know the man’s address and believe he may be homeless. Although the man did have an arrest history, Dowling said there wasn’t  anything “major” on his record.

The church, one of the oldest and most storied in the Bronx, is planning to re-consecrate the sanctuary tomorrow during a ceremony, Dowling said.

In an unrelated incident, a non-fatal shooting on the corner of East 204th Street and Webster Avenue on Sunday afternoon, Dowling said they have identified a suspect and are in the process of tracking him down.