CATHOLIC PRIEST DIES AFTER MASSIVE CRUCIFIX FALLS ON HIM DURING LIVESTREAMED MASS IN ECUADOR

Tragedy strikes Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church in Guayaquil as Father Patricio Alfredo Sánchez Molinari suffers fatal injuries during live evening broadcast

A Catholic priest, Father Patricio Alfredo Sánchez Molinari, has died in Guayaquil, Ecuador, after a massive wooden crucifix mounted behind the altar collapsed and struck him during a live-streamed Mass.

The tragedy occurred at the Church of Our Lady of Perpetual Help (Perpetuo Socorro), where Father Sánchez Molinari, a member of the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer (Redemptorists), was conducting an evening service.

Footage from the live social media broadcast showed the priest addressing his congregation when the heavy crucifix suddenly detached from the wall and fell forward, striking him on the head and back.

Distressed worshippers inside the sanctuary immediately rushed to the altar to render aid and call emergency services while online viewers watched the scene unfold in real time before the livestream was disconnected.

First responders arrived at the church shortly after the incident, but medical personnel confirmed that Father Sánchez Molinari had succumbed to the severe injuries sustained in the impact.

In a formal statement released by the Archdiocese of Guayaquil, church leadership confirmed his passing, expressing profound grief and offering prayers for his family, parish, and religious community while investigations continue into what caused the structure to detach.