The Catholic priest in Ecuador who tragically lost his life over the weekend after a massive wall crucifix detached and struck him on the altar was delivering a sermon on the fleeting nature of human existence.
Father Patricio Sánchez Molinari, who served at the Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church in southern Guayaquil, was addressing his congregation about prioritizing faith and family over temporary distractions when the fatal accident occurred.
A poignant message cut short by tragedy
During his address, Father Molinari reflected on spiritual devotion and urged churchgoers to use their time meaningfully rather than spending hours on digital devices.
“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,” Father Molinari told his parishioners. “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.”
Moments after asking God to bless those in attendance and commencing a prayer, the heavy crucifix mounted behind the altar suddenly dislodged from the sanctuary wall and collapsed directly onto him.
Emergency response and ongoing investigation
The tragic sequence of events was captured live during the church’s online broadcast service.
Screams erupted throughout the sanctuary as parishioners rushed toward the altar to offer aid and alert emergency services.
Paramedics arrived at the church shortly after, but Father Molinari succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead later that day.
Local authorities and parish administrators have not yet released an official cause for how the heavy religious display came loose from its mounting, and investigations into the structural failure remain ongoing.
See the video of the tragic incident on our Telegram channel.
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