Priest Dies After Cross Falls During Mass in Ecuador

Father Patricio Alfredo Sánchez Molinari, parish priest of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church in Guayaquil, Ecuador, and a Redemptorist (CSsR), died after a large wooden crucifix mounted behind the altar fell on him during Mass on Saturday, October 17, 2026. The collapse came around the 27th minute of a livestreamed service that later circulated on social media. Worshippers rushed to help. A woman shouted, "Father, Father...call an ambulance." Paramedics responded but could not save him. The Archdiocese of Guayaquil said he was pronounced dead on Sunday, October 18, and announced that he had "departed for the Father's House to rejoice in His presence and glory," adding a prayer for eternal rest. No factual disputes appear in available reports over who died, when, or how the accident unfolded. Some headlines describe a statue of Jesus or a giant altar cross rather than a wooden crucifix. Authorities have not determined why the crucifix came loose, and church and civil officials have not reported findings on prior safety issues.