A Catholic priest, Father Patricio Sánchez Molinari, has died after a large wooden cross fell on his head while he was celebrating Mass at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church in Guayaquil, Ecuador.
Drivetvnews gathered that the incident occurred on Saturday during a church service being livestreamed on social media, according to reports by the Associated Press and Ecuadorian newspaper El Universo.
Sánchez Molinari was at the altar when the heavy cross hanging behind him reportedly detached from the wall and struck him on the head.
Footage of the service showed the cross falling as the priest continued the Mass. Worshippers were heard calling for help as they rushed to assist him.
El Universo reported that the congregation desperately sought an ambulance following the incident, which was captured on the livestream.
The Archdiocese of Guayaquil confirmed the priest’s death and identified him as a member of the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer, a Roman Catholic religious order founded in 1732 with a presence in 80 countries.
The Archdiocese also expressed condolences to the Redemptorist community, as well as the priest’s family and friends.
Sánchez Molinari had previously served for several years at San Lorenzo de Vinces parish, which also mourned his death.
As of the time of the reports, the circumstances that caused the cross to detach from the wall had not been officially established, and local authorities had yet to comment on the incident.
