WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
  • Father Patricio Alfredo Sánchez Molinari was fatally struck by a falling wooden crucifix during Mass in Guayaquil, Ecuador.
  • The livestream captured screams as worshippers rushed to help the priest and called for an ambulance.
  • The Archdiocese of Guayaquil confirmed his death and offered prayers for his eternal rest.
  • Church officials had not publicly explained by Sunday what caused the crucifix to fall.

A Catholic priest preparing Communion was fatally struck when a large wooden crucifix fell during a livestreamed Mass in Ecuador, transforming a religious service into a frantic effort by worshippers to save him.

Father Patricio Alfredo Sánchez Molinari was standing at the altar of Nuestra Señora del Perpetuo Socorro Church in Guayaquil on Saturday. The crucifix positioned behind him suddenly fell forward and struck him as he prepared Communion.

Video from the service captured the horrifying moment and the immediate reaction inside the church. Screams erupted as worshippers rushed toward Sánchez Molinari and began calling for emergency assistance.

The Mass was being livestreamed on social media, meaning the fatal incident and the desperate response from people inside the church were recorded as they unfolded. A woman could be heard urgently calling for an ambulance.

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“Father, Father … call an ambulance,” the woman shouted in the video as those inside moved to help the injured priest. The recording showed a moment of worship giving way to panic around the altar.

The Archdiocese of Guayaquil later confirmed Sánchez Molinari’s death in a statement posted on Facebook. It identified him as the parish priest of Perpetuo Socorro Church, which is part of the archdiocese’s Central Vicariate.

“Our dear Fr. Patricio Alfredo Sánchez Molinari … has departed to the Father’s House to enjoy His presence and His glory,” the archdiocese wrote in Spanish while announcing his death.

The statement also offered a traditional prayer for the priest. “Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord. And let perpetual light shine upon him. May he rest in peace. Amen,” the statement concluded in Latin.

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The tragedy occurred just one day after the archdiocese had publicly congratulated Sánchez Molinari on the anniversary of his ordination. Ecuadorian news outlet Primicias reported the timing of that earlier message and the fatal incident.

Sánchez Molinari belonged to the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer, commonly known as the Redemptorists. His religious service had included work beyond Guayaquil before he became parish priest at Perpetuo Socorro Church.

Before serving in Guayaquil, Sánchez Molinari spent several years as the parish priest at San Lorenzo in Vinces. That community is located in Ecuador’s Los Ríos province, according to reporting from Primicias.

His former parish responded to news of his death with a tribute posted on social media. The parish remembered the dedication and pastoral love that Sánchez Molinari had brought to its community during his years there, El Universo reported.

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Images shared in connection with the tragedy showed Sánchez Molinari celebrating Mass at Nuestra Señora del Perpetuo Socorro Church. Another portrait identified him as the Catholic priest killed when the crucifix fell during Communion.

The precise reason the large wooden crucifix fell had not been determined publicly by Sunday. Church officials had not provided an explanation for the collapse, leaving the cause of the fatal incident unclear.

The available video documented the congregation’s alarm and immediate attempt to summon help, but it did not provide an explanation for what caused the crucifix to come loose. Officials had made no public determination about the collapse.

The archdiocese’s announcement focused on mourning Sánchez Molinari and praying for his eternal rest. His former parish likewise centered its message on his religious dedication and the pastoral care he had shown its community.

The fatal collapse brought a devastating end to a Mass that Sánchez Molinari had been leading from the altar. Worshippers who had gathered for the service instead found themselves rushing forward as the priest was struck during Communion preparations.

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