A Catholic priest, Fr Patricio Sanchez, died after a heavy wooden crucifix fell from a wall and crushed him against the pulpit as he celebrated mass in the Ecuadorian port city of Guayaquil.
Fr Patricio was leading the service at Our Lady of Perpetual Help church when the crucifix detached from the wall directly above the altar.
Graphic footage of the live-streamed service, which circulated widely on social media over the weekend, showed the cross fatally striking the priest on the head as he stood facing the congregation.
Fr Patricio had been giving a sermon about the fleeting nature of life just before the freak accident was caught live on camera.
The priest reflected on the words of Jesus when he told his congregation that they should dedicate their lives to God and their loved ones.
“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”.
“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,” he said.
Moments later, during prayer, the crucifix pried off the wall and fell on the priest.
“Father, Father! Call an ambulance!” horrified parishioners could be heard shouting before the live broadcast abruptly cut out.
First responders arrived at the scene, but the priest was declared dead.
Fr Patricio served under the Archdiocese of Guayaquil, and Cardinal Archbishop Monsignor Luis Gerardo Cabrera Herrera confirmed his death.
The Archdiocese of Guayaquil mourned Fr Patricio’s death in a statement expressing “solidarity, affection and love” for his family and friends.
“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.
He was also mourned at the San Lorenzo Parish of Vinces, in the Los Rios province, where he had served for several years.
Church officials offered no comment on what caused the cross to fall, and local authorities have not spoken publicly on the incident.
The priest belonged to the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer, a Roman Catholic missionary order founded in 1732 with a presence in more than 80 countries.
(Agencies; Picture Courtesy: Church of Perpetual Relief, Guayaquil livestream video)
