By: Odeh Favour
Tragedy struck at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church in Guayaquil, Ecuador, when a Catholic priest, Father Patricio Sánchez Molinari, lost his life after a massive wooden cross detached from a wall and fell directly on him while celebrating Mass.
The tragic event occurred on Saturday during a church service that was being broadcast live on social media, according to reports by the Associated Press and local news outlet, El Universo.
Father Sánchez was ministering at the altar when the heavy crucifix suspended directly behind him gave way during prayer and struck him on the head.
Reporting on the tragic development, Ecuadorian newspaper El Universo noted, “Un sacerdote murió tras la caída de una enorme cruz de madera sobre su cabeza” translating to “a priest died after a huge wooden cross fell on his head”.
According to international news agency, The Associated Press, video footage captured from the live broadcast showed “a heavy crucifix detaching from the wall above the altar and striking Sánchez on the head as he celebrated Mass”.
Reports further indicated that the cleric did not appear to notice the falling cross before it struck him, leaving panicked worshippers crying out in shock and rushing to his aid.
Panicked congregants tried frantically to assist the fallen priest while desperately calling for emergency medical services as the broadcast continued running.
Following the incident, the Archdiocese of Guayaquil officially confirmed the passing of the cleric, identifying him as a member of the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer, a global Roman Catholic religious order founded in 1732 with a presence in 80 countries.
The Archdiocese expressed deep solidarity and heartfelt condolences to the Redemptorist religious community, as well as the family and friends of the deceased priest.
Before his posting to Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church, Father Sánchez had served for several years at the San Lorenzo de Vinces parish, where members also joined in mourning his sudden demise.
