Overview
- A large wooden crucifix detached from the wall and struck Father Patricio Alfredo Sánchez Molinari during a Mass that was being livestreamed, with multiple outlets reporting the incident occurred on Saturday, October 17.
- The livestream captured the moment the cross fell roughly 27 minutes into the service and the footage has since spread widely online, prompting shock and condolences from worshippers and viewers.
- The Archdiocese of Guayaquil publicly confirmed Sánchez Molinari’s death in a social media statement and identified him as a Redemptorist who served at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church.
- Local reports say emergency responders were called to the scene and some accounts indicate paramedics were unable to revive him, though official timing of his death has not been detailed by church authorities.
- Church officials and local authorities have not provided a technical cause for the collapse, leaving questions about fixture installation and safety that could prompt structural checks and a formal inquiry.