Father Patricio Alfredo Sánchez Molinari died after a massive crucifix fell from a church wall and struck him during a livestreamed Mass in Ecuador.
The 27-year-old Redemptorist priest was leading evening services at Perpetuo Socorro Church in Guayaquil on Saturday, October 17, when the heavy wooden religious symbol detached from the altar wall behind him. The Archdiocese of Guayaquil identified Sánchez in an Instagram post issued the same day as the tragedy.
Footage that circulated online showed the crucifix tumbling forward as Sánchez faced his congregation, striking him on the head before worshippers could react. In the recording, which the church has since removed, distressed parishioners can be heard shouting for help. One woman cried out, “Father, Father … call an ambulance.”
Emergency responders rushed to the church, but Sánchez was declared dead at the scene.
The Archdiocese announced the death in Spanish on Instagram, writing, “We inform you that our beloved Fr Patricio Alfredo Sánchez Molinari, C.SS.R., who served as parish priest of the Perpetuo Socorro church in the Central Vicariate, has departed to the Father’s House to enjoy His presence and glory.”
The statement continued: “Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord. And let perpetual light shine upon him. May he rest in peace. Amen 🙏🏻”
Sánchez belonged to the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer, known as the Redemptorists, an order founded by Saint Alphonsus Liguori in Scala, Italy, in 1732 and approved by the Catholic Church in 1749. Liguori had abandoned his legal career to preach among rural populations. The order now operates in roughly 80 countries, concentrating its missionary work on marginalized communities and the poor.
Before his assignment in Guayaquil, Sánchez served as parish priest at San Lorenzo in Vinces. His former parish paid tribute to him following his death, with El Universo reporting that community members remembered his dedication and the pastoral love he brought to his work there.
The cause of the crucifix’s detachment remained unknown in the immediate aftermath. Reports said that a memorial Mass has been scheduled for Sunday evening to honor Sánchez’s life and ministry.