Ecuadorian priest dies after wooden cross falls on him during livestreamed Mass
Father Patricio Alfredo Sánchez Molinari was killed when a heavy wooden cross above the altar came loose and struck him during a weekday Mass broadcast online from Our Lady of Perpetual Help parish in Guayaquil. The Archdiocese of Guayaquil, in a statement signed by Cardinal Luis Gerardo Cabrera Herrera, expressed solidarity with his family and friends. The cause of the accident remains unclear.
A Catholic priest in Ecuador died after a heavy wooden cross mounted on the wall above the altar came loose and fell on him while he was celebrating a weekday Mass that was being broadcast live online, the Archdiocese of Guayaquil has confirmed.
Father Patricio Alfredo Sánchez Molinari, the parish priest of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, was struck by the cross during the Mass on October 17. The impact pushed him against the ambo, and he died. The entire incident was captured by the livestream camera, and footage of the moment the cross fell circulated on social media the following day.
The archdiocese issued a statement signed by Cardinal Luis Gerardo Cabrera Herrera, the Archbishop of Guayaquil, mourning the death of Sánchez Molinari and expressing solidarity, care and love toward his family and friends. The statement identified him as the parish priest of Our Lady of Perpetual Help and noted that he belonged to the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer, known as the Redemptorists.
The video shows the cross descending suddenly from its position above the altar. The livestream audio also captured someone shouting, «Father! Father! Call an ambulance quickly!» The archdiocesan statement did not explain why the cross came loose, nor did it clarify whether the priest died at the scene or specify the condition and mounting of the cross. Local authorities have not commented, and the cause of the accident is still under investigation.
The death has shaken the parish community and the wider archdiocese, where Sánchez Molinari was known as a member of a religious congregation dedicated to missionary work and service. The Redemptorists, founded in the eighteenth century, are present in many countries and are particularly associated with ministry to the poor and marginalized. The circumstances of the accident have raised questions about the safety of fixtures in historic church buildings, though no official findings have been released.
The Mass was being streamed online as part of the parish’s regular practice of broadcasting services, a practice that became widespread during the coronavirus pandemic and has remained common in many Catholic communities. The livestream made the accident visible to remote viewers in real time, and the subsequent circulation of the footage drew attention beyond the local community.
The Archdiocese of Guayaquil has not announced funeral arrangements or further investigations. The statement focused on mourning and on support for the priest’s family and friends, describing the moment as a difficult one for all who knew him.
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