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Guayaquil priest death during church mass

Updated 5 times since CLSTR started tracking revisions of this situation.

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2026-10-23 04:12 UTC → 2026-10-23 13:35 UTC · added removed

On October 17, 2026, Father Patricio Alfredo Sánchez Molinari, a 53-year-old Redemptorist priest, died following an accident at the Nuestra Señora del Perpetuo Socorro (Our Lady of Perpetual Help) church in Guayaquil, Ecuador. During a mass that was being broadcast via a Facebook livestream, a large wooden crucifix mounted on the wall detached and struck the priest on the head. The crucifix reportedly weighed approximately 200 kilograms. The incident occurred approximately 27 minutes into the service, directly behind the altar, just minutes after Father Sánchez Molinari had delivered a sermon regarding the fleeting nature of human life, in which he stated, ‘One day all of us here will also die.’ Despite the immediate arrival of paramedics and medical staff, he was pronounced dead at the scene due to severe head and back injuries. The Archdiocese of Guayaquil and the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer have confirmed the death. Footage of the accident has circulated widely on social media, showing the priest collapsing immediately after being struck. While the National Police have preliminarily classified the event as an accidental death caused by a blunt object, the priest's family has called for a full investigation. Cardinal Luis Gerardo Cabrera Herrera, the Archbishop of Guayaquil, stated that the Archdiocese is awaiting a technical report to determine if the incident resulted from structural failure or improper installation. On October 20, Sánchez Molinari was laid to rest at Camposanto Santa Ana in his hometown of Cuenca. The funeral service was led by Cardinal Cabrera Herrera and attended by clergy, religious orders, and family members. Investigations into the cause of the crucifix detachment remain ongoing.

Versions

  1. 2026-10-23 13:35 UTC Guayaquil priest death during church mass
  2. 2026-10-23 04:12 UTC Guayaquil priest death during church mass
  3. 2026-10-22 00:42 UTC Guayaquil priest death during church mass
  4. 2026-10-20 22:12 UTC Guayaquil priest death during church mass
  5. 2026-10-20 09:26 UTC Guayaquil priest death during church mass
  6. 2026-10-20 04:24 UTC Guayaquil priest death during church mass

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