A priest in Ecuador died on Saturday after a large wooden crucifix fell from a wall and fatally struck him during a livestreamed Mass.
The Rev. Patricio Alfredo Sánchez Molinari, the pastor of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church in the city of Guayaquil, was speaking to his congregation on Saturday when the accident occurred.
In a video streamed live to the priest’s Facebook page and verified by The New York Times, Father Sánchez Molinari stood in a flower-filled sanctuary framed by a sweeping wall mural dominated by a large crucifix. He put on his reading glasses and began speaking — “Let us pray to the Lord” — moments before the crucifix detached from the wall. Facing his congregation, the priest did not see the cross falling behind him, and he collapsed upon impact.
Parishioners in the nave could be heard shouting in shock and several rushed to the altar to help before the video cut out. It was unclear what caused the crucifix to fall. Local authorities did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The Archdiocese of Guayaquil confirmed the priest’s death in a statement on social media on Sunday, writing that he had “departed for the Father’s House to rejoice in His presence and glory.”
Mourners gathered at the church on Sunday evening for a service in the priest’s honor.
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