A Catholic priest in Ecuador died after a large crucifix fell on him during a livestreamed Mass, an incident that prompted distress among parishioners and renewed focus on the still-unknown cause of the collapse.

Father Patricio Alfredo Sánchez Molinari was leading the service at the Perpetuo Socorro, or Our Lady of Perpetual Help, church in Guayaquil when the wooden crucifix behind the altar fell forward. Accounts place the incident roughly half an hour into the broadcast, with congregants rushing to assist as the stream continued.

One report described a woman shouting, “Father, Father … call an ambulance,” while others could be heard calling for help.¹ Emergency services attended the church, but Sánchez Molinari was declared dead later that day, according to that account.

The reports broadly concur on the sequence of events and on the church’s response. The Archdiocese of Guayaquil confirmed his death, saying the parish priest had “departed for the Father’s House to enjoy his presence and glory,” and expressed solidarity with his relatives, friends and the Redemptorist community.²

They also portray Sánchez Molinari as a member of the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer and a priest who regularly broadcast services online. One account noted that the church’s work included support for poor and isolated communities in Guayaquil.³

Where the coverage is most emphatic is the absence of an explanation. No public account has established whether the crucifix failed because of structural damage, its fittings or another factor. One report said officials had not publicly explained the incident, while another said police sources were not investigating it at that point.¹ The available reports therefore frame the tragedy as an apparent accident, but leave its cause unresolved.