PHOTO: () the Priest during the mass with the cross at his back; (r) the moment the cross fell on the priest
By Daily Review Online
A Catholic priest, Father Patricio Alfredo Sánchez Molinari, has died after a cross reportedly fell on him while he was celebrating Mass at a church in Guayaquil, Ecuador.
The incident occurred on Saturday, October 17, at the parish of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, where Sánchez served as parish priest. The Mass was reportedly being streamed live on social media when the cross mounted on the wall behind him came loose and struck him.
According to reports by digital media outlets, the incident occurred about 27 minutes into the broadcast. Screams from worshippers present at the church could reportedly be heard in the recording.
The Archdiocese of Guayaquil confirmed the priest’s death in a statement issued on Saturday. However, it did not disclose the circumstances surrounding his death or specify whether he died immediately or after receiving medical attention.
In an obituary signed by the Archbishop of Guayaquil, Cardinal Luis Gerardo Cabrera Herrera, the archdiocese expressed sorrow over the loss of the priest and offered prayers for the repose of his soul.
The statement described Sánchez as the parish priest of the Perpetual Help church in the Central Vicariate, saying he had departed to be with God.
The archdiocese also expressed solidarity with the Redemptorist congregation, the priest’s family and friends, assuring them of its prayers and support during the period of mourning.
It concluded with the traditional Catholic prayer for the dead, asking God to grant him eternal rest and perpetual light.
Father Sánchez belonged to the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer, commonly known as the Redemptorists, a Catholic religious order founded by St. Alphonsus Maria de Liguori in 1732.
The parish he led is dedicated to Our Lady of Perpetual Help, a Marian devotion closely associated with the Redemptorists. In 1866, Pope Pius IX entrusted the congregation with the care of the original icon of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, which is venerated at the Church of St. Alphonsus in Rome.
News of the priest’s death prompted an outpouring of condolence messages on social media, with Catholics and other users expressing sympathy for his family, congregation and parish community.
As of the time of the report, the Archdiocese of Guayaquil had not announced arrangements for his funeral.
The circumstances surrounding the cross’s collapse, including how it was mounted and whether any safety concerns had previously been identified, remain unclear.