A priest in Ecuador died after a cross fell on him during a service

Priest Patricio Alfredo Sánchez Molinari, parish priest of Nuestra Señora del Perpetuo Socorro Church in Guayaquil, Ecuador, died after a wooden cross bearing a statue of Jesus crucified came loose from the wall behind the altar and fell on him. The incident occurred on Saturday afternoon, during the regular service.

The moment was captured by the camera broadcasting the ceremony live on Facebook. Around the 27-minute mark, the cross suddenly came loose from the top and struck the priest, who did not notice what was happening behind him. The broadcast was stopped immediately.

Parishioners and parish staff tried to help him and requested an ambulance, but the rescuers could do nothing. The priest died virtually on the spot. The cause of the cross coming loose has not been made public so far.

The Archdiocese of Guayaquil confirmed the death in a message signed by Cardinal Luis Cabrera Herrera. The institution expressed solidarity with the Redemptorist family, the congregation to which the priest belonged, as well as with his relatives and friends. His death was also mourned by San Lorenzo Parish in Vinces, where he served for several years.