Catholic priest killed by falling wooden cross during livestreamed mass

A Catholic priest has died after a large wooden crucifix fell from a wall and struck him during a livestreamed Mass in Guayaquil, Ecuador.

Father Patricio Alfredo Sánchez Molinari was celebrating Mass at Nuestra Señora del Perpetuo Socorro, or Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church, on October 17, 2026, when the crucifix detached from above the altar.

Footage of the service captured the cross falling towards the priest as worshippers rushed to help. The Archdiocese of Guayaquil confirmed his death. 

Parishioners called for an ambulance before the livestream ended, according to Ecuadorian broadcaster Teleamazonas. 

In a statement signed by Cardinal Luis Cabrera Herrera, the archdiocese mourned Sánchez Molinari, who served as parish priest in its Central Vicariate, and offered prayers for his eternal rest. 

The church’s statement did not explain why the crucifix came loose or establish whether the priest died at the scene or after receiving medical attention. No findings on the condition of its mounting were provided.

Originally from Cuenca in southern Ecuador, Sánchez Molinari belonged to the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer, whose members are commonly known as Redemptorists.

Before his assignment in Guayaquil, he spent several years serving the San Lorenzo parish in Vinces, Los Ríos province. His former parish joined other Catholic communities in mourning him. 

The archdiocese had marked the anniversary of his ordination a day before the fatal incident. 

During the service, Sánchez Molinari had urged worshippers to make time for God and their loved ones rather than allow work, money and everyday worries to consume their lives, according to Ecuadorian newspaper El Universo. 

The archdiocese and the Redemptorist congregation announced a memorial Mass for October 18 at the same church where he had been serving.