A Catholic priest was killed when a large crucifix fell on him during a livestreamed Mass at a church in Guayaquil, Ecuador.
Father Patricio Alfredo Sanchez Molinari was standing at the altar of Nuestra Señora del Perpetuo Socorro Church on Saturday when the cross suddenly came loose from the wall behind him.
The livestream showed the crucifix tilting forwards before falling directly on to the priest. He was knocked below the altar and out of view as parishioners shouted and called for help.
“Padre!” a woman was heard shouting repeatedly, followed by a plea in Spanish to call an ambulance. Several people then ran towards the altar.
The cross fell about 27 minutes after Sanchez Molinari began broadcasting the service from his personal social media accounts. The stream ended shortly afterwards.
Archdiocese confirms death of Guayaquil priest
The Archdiocese of Guayaquil confirmed the priest’s death on Sunday, but did not say what caused the crucifix to fall or whether an investigation would take place.
It also did not clarify whether Sanchez Molinari died at the scene or later in hospital from his injuries.
In a statement, the archdiocese said: “We announce that our dear Fr. Patricio Alfredo Sanchez Molinari, CSsR.—who served as parish priest of the Church of Our Lady of Perpetual Help (Perpetuo Socorro) in the Central Vicariate—has departed for the Father’s House to enjoy His presence and His glory.”
The statement ended with a traditional Catholic prayer for the dead: “Requiem æternam dona ei, Domine. Et lux perpétua lúceat ei. Requiescat in pace. Amen.”
The prayer translates as: “Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him. May he rest in peace. Amen.”
Sanchez Molinari belonged to the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer, commonly known as the Redemptorists. The Catholic congregation was founded by the Italian Saint Alphonsus Liguori in 1732 and generally serves poor and isolated communities.
The Redemptorists have around 4,500 members, most of them priests, according to Vatican statistics. Their official motto is taken from Psalm 130:7: “With Him there is plentiful redemption.”
Parishioners and other social media users expressed their grief in comments left on the saved livestream.
“What a loss. A great priest, a great friend. A true missionary of Christ,” one person wrote.
Another said: “I cannot believe it, Father—you have left us. You were an excellent, charitable priest. Rest now, Father; may God hold you in His holy glory.”
A third described his death as “such profound sadness—a great and unexpected loss”, adding that he had offered people “much guidance and many valuable lessons”.
