On October 17, during a live-streamed mass, a priest in Ecuador was fatally injured when a large crucifix fell and struck him on the head. Video footage shared on social media shows Father Patricio Alfredo Sanchez Molinari addressing his congregation just moments before the tragic incident.
Following the event, the Archdiocese of Guayaquil confirmed his death on Facebook the next day. They stated, “We inform you that our dear Father Patricio Alfredo Sanchez Molinari, who served as the pastor of the Church of Our Lady of Perpetual Help in the Central Vicariate, has returned to the house of the Father.”
The exact cause of the crucifix falling remains unclear, with no official explanations provided regarding structural damage or issues with the mounting.
Father Sanchez Molinari belonged to the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer, commonly known as the Redemptorists. He served in central Guayaquil and previously worked in the city of Vinces in Los Rios Province. He frequently streamed his masses on his personal social media pages.
