Catholic priest dies after cross falls on him during Mass

An Ecuadorian priest named Father Patricio Alfredo Sánchez Molinari tragically passed away after a large wooden cross fell on him during a live-streamed Mass in Guayaquil, Ecuador. The incident occurred on Saturday, October 17, 2026, when the cross mounted on the wall behind the altar unexpectedly collapsed during the service. Sánchez Molinari, who served as the parish priest at the Church of Perpetual Help, was struck by the cross while conducting the Mass.

Footage of the event quickly spread on social media, causing alarm among the congregation as people responded to the incident. In a statement from the Archdiocese of Guayaquil, Cardinal Archbishop Luis Cabrera Herrera confirmed the priest's death. The archdiocese expressed its grief, stating that they join in prayer for the priest's eternal rest and extend their condolences to his family, friends, and fellow Redemptorists.

The circumstances surrounding the accident, including the condition of the cross and whether an investigation has been launched, remain undisclosed by the archdiocese. Sánchez Molinari was a member of the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer, also known as the Redemptorists, a Catholic religious order devoted to Our Lady of Perpetual Help.

His death has left the parish and the broader Catholic community in Guayaquil in mourning, with the archdiocese emphasizing solidarity with the Redemptorist community, the priest's relatives, and his friends.