Ecuador priest dies after large crucifix falls on him during livestreamed mass

A Catholic priest in Ecuador died after a large wooden crucifix fell from the wall and struck him while he was celebrating Mass in Guayaquil. Father Patricio Alfredo Sánchez Molinari, 53, was the parish priest at the Church of Our Lady of Perpetual Help (Nuestra Señora del Perpetuo Socorro) in the city's central vicariate.

The incident occurred on the evening of Saturday, October 17, during a Mass that was being livestreamed on social media. Video of the service showed the priest standing at the altar when the crucifix behind him suddenly detached and fell forward, striking him. Worshippers rushed to his aid and called for an ambulance, but he died at the scene. The Archdiocese of Guayaquil confirmed his death in a statement signed by Cardinal Luis Cabrera Herrera, expressing condolences to the Redemptorist community, his family, and friends.

Sánchez Molinari belonged to the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer and had recently marked the anniversary of his ordination. Authorities have not publicly determined what caused the crucifix to fall.