Overview
- A heavy crucifix detached from the wall of Parroquia Nuestra Señora del Perpetuo Socorro in Guayaquil and struck Father Patricio Alfredo Sánchez Molinari during a Mass that was being broadcast on Facebook.
- Worshippers rushed to his aid and emergency services were called, but the archdiocese confirmed in a death notice that the priest later died of his injuries.
- The Facebook live video and witness accounts are central to early reporting and are being used by investigators as primary evidence.
- Local police have opened an active investigation to determine why the crucifix came loose and no official finding of structural failure or negligence has been released.
- The incident has deeply shaken the parish community and raises immediate questions about the safety and mounting of heavy religious fixtures in churches.