Ecuadorian Priest Dies After Massive Crucifix Falls on Him During Live Mass

By Staff Reporter
A Catholic priest has died after a large wooden crucifix fell on him during a livestreamed Mass at a church in Guayaquil, Ecuador.

Father Patricio Alfredo Sánchez Molinari was celebrating an evening service at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church on Saturday when the crucifix detached from the wall behind the altar and struck him on the head.

The incident was captured on a live social media broadcast, with footage showing the heavy cross falling without warning as worshippers screamed and rushed to help the priest. Others called emergency services.

The Archdiocese of Guayaquil later confirmed Sánchez’s death, expressing condolences to his family, friends, parishioners and fellow members of the clergy.

In a statement, the archdiocese said Sánchez, who served as parish priest at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church in the Central Vicariate, had departed to the “Father’s House”.

It added that the church community was praying for the eternal rest of his soul and expressed solidarity with his family and the Redemptorist community.

The circumstances surrounding the accident remain unclear. Church officials and local authorities have not publicly explained why the crucifix became detached from the wall.

It is also unclear whether the priest died at the scene or after receiving medical attention.

Sánchez was a member of the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer, widely known as the Redemptorists, a Catholic missionary order founded by St Alphonsus Liguori in 1732.

The order operates in more than 80 countries, focusing on preaching and serving disadvantaged communities.

The priest’s sudden death has prompted an outpouring of grief among parishioners and members of the wider Catholic community.

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