The Rev. Patricio Alfredo Sánchez Molinari was celebrating Mass in Guayaquil when the large wooden cross behind the altar fell.
GUAYAQUIL, ECUADOR — A Roman Catholic priest died after a large wooden crucifix fell on him while he was celebrating Mass at a church in Guayaquil, an accident witnessed by parishioners and captured during a livestream of the service.
The Rev. Patricio Alfredo Sánchez Molinari, 53, was leading an evening Mass on Oct. 17 at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church when the crucifix behind the altar tipped forward and struck him. Worshippers rushed to assist Sánchez as cries for help could be heard during the broadcast. The Archdiocese of Guayaquil later confirmed his death.
Sánchez was the parish priest at Our Lady of Perpetual Help, also known as Perpetuo Socorro, in the center-south area of Guayaquil. He belonged to the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer, whose members are commonly known as Redemptorists. The religious order has ministries in countries around the world.
Video from the service showed Sánchez facing the congregation when the crucifix fell from behind him. He did not appear to see it coming. The parish later removed the original livestream as recordings of the accident circulated widely on social media. Authorities and church officials initially provided no public explanation for why the crucifix fell.
The Archdiocese of Guayaquil expressed condolences to Sánchez’s family, friends and religious community after announcing his death. A memorial Mass was celebrated Oct. 18 at the same church, with Cardinal Luis Gerardo Cabrera, the archbishop of Guayaquil, taking part in the services honoring the priest.
Sánchez was born in Cuenca in 1973 and had served at the Guayaquil parish for about three years. Before arriving there, he served at San Lorenzo de Vinces Parish in Los Ríos province. The day before his death, the Guayaquil archdiocese had recognized another anniversary of his priestly ordination. Parishioners described him in subsequent local reporting as an active pastor who kept the church open regularly and worked closely with people in the surrounding neighborhood.
His final homily focused on setting aside time for God and loved ones rather than allowing work and financial concerns to dominate daily life. The message became a focus for parishioners mourning him after his death. In the days after the accident, members of the congregation gathered at the church for prayers and a novena, and a small memorial with his photograph and flowers was placed inside the building.
Questions about what caused the crucifix to fall remained after the funeral. Relatives called for an investigation to determine how the wooden structure came down during the service. Ecuadorian news outlet El Comercio reported that National Police had preliminarily classified the death as accidental and attributed it to the impact of a falling object. A definitive public explanation of what caused the crucifix to become unstable had not been released.
Sánchez’s remains were taken to his native Cuenca, where funeral services were held. Back in Guayaquil, parishioners continued gathering to remember him while the church adjusted to his absence. Local reporting said another priest would serve the parish temporarily until the archdiocese appoints a permanent replacement.
Author note: Last updated October 22, 2026.