A Catholic priest in Ecuador was killed over the weekend when a large crucifix fell on him moments after he delivered a sermon about the brief and unpredictable nature of life. The tragic accident was captured during a livestream of the service.
Father Patricio Sánchez Molinari was preaching at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church in southern Guayaquil, reflecting on Jesus’ teachings and urging parishioners not to spend their lives endlessly scrolling on their phones. Instead, he encouraged them to devote more time to God and the people they love.
“One day, all of us here will also die, and sometimes the time we’ve spent on things doesn’t have as much meaning as the time we spend with God,” he told the congregation.
“The quality time we give to God, to our brothers and sisters, to our husbands, wives, children, and family—that time is the best spent,” Molinari continued.
He then asked God to bless those gathered in the church and began another prayer. At that moment, the massive crucifix mounted behind him broke loose from the wall and crashed down onto the priest.
The horrifying moment unfolded on the sermon’s livestream. Screams echoed through the church as startled worshippers rushed toward the priest and called for an ambulance.
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Emergency responders arrived at the scene, but officials said Molinari was pronounced dead later that day.
Father Sánchez was a member of the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer, a Roman Catholic order established in 1732 that operates in 80 countries.
He served within the Archdiocese of Guayaquil. Cardinal Archbishop Monsignor Luis Gerardo Cabrera Herrera confirmed the priest’s death.
“We announce that our beloved Father Patricio Alfredo Sánchez Molinari, who served as parish priest of the Perpetual Help church in the Central Vicariate, has departed to the Father’s House to enjoy His presence and His glory,” the church said in a statement.
Parishioners and church leaders also mourned Molinari at San Lorenzo Parish in Vinces, Los Rios province, where he had served for several years.
The cause of the crucifix’s collapse remains unknown. Church officials have not publicly explained why the heavy structure detached from the wall and fell during the service.
