Ecuador priest killed by falling crucifix during Mass

A wall-mounted wooden crucifix fell on a Catholic priest during Mass at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church in Guayaquil, Ecuador, killing him on Saturday, October 17, according to RT. The priest was identified as Father Patricio Alfredo Sanchez Molinari, 53.

The report, citing local media, said the service was being livestreamed on social media. It described footage showing the priest near the altar when the large crucifix on the wall behind him tipped forward and struck his head, roughly 30 minutes into the service.

The Archdiocese of Guayaquil subsequently confirmed his death in a statement conveying Cardinal Luis Cabrera’s prayers and condolences to the Redemptorist community, the priest’s family and friends. Parishioners at San Lorenzo in Vinces, where he had previously served, also remembered his pastoral commitment. As of the report’s publication on October 19, Ecuadorian authorities had not publicly commented, and the reason the crucifix fell remained unknown.