Guayaquil priest killed by falling crucifix during live-streamed Mass

Father Patricio Alfredo Sánchez Molinari, a 53-year-old Redemptorist priest, died on October 17, 2026, after a large wooden crucifix detached from a wall and struck him during a Mass at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church in Guayaquil, Ecuador.

The incident occurred approximately 27 minutes into the service while the Mass was being live-streamed on social media. In his final sermon moments, Father Sánchez Molinari was discussing the fragility of human life, stating, “One day, all of us here will also die.”

Despite immediate assistance from paramedics and parishioners, the priest succumbed to serious head and back injuries at the scene. The Archdiocese of Guayaquil, led by Cardinal Luis Gerardo Cabrera Herrera, confirmed the death and expressed condolences to the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer and the local community.

An investigation is underway to determine the technical causes of the structural failure. While the church has begun reinstalling religious items, officials are awaiting a specialized technical report to prevent similar accidents in other temples.