During a live-streamed daily mass on October 17, 2026, in Guayaquil, Ecuador, a heavy wooden cross detached from the wall behind the altar and struck parish priest Patricio Alfredo Sánchez Molinari, causing his death during the ceremony.
Minutes before the fatal accident at the Nuestra Señora del Perpetuo Socorro church, the 53-year-old priest had addressed the congregation gathered in the city’s center-sur district. One day, all of us who are here are going to die
– one day, everyone here is going to die – he told those attending the evening service at approximately the 30-minute mark of the broadcast.
The service was being transmitted live on Facebook via the parish’s digital platform, capturing both the moment the structure gave way and the immediate aftermath as attendees rushed forward.
The Moments Inside Perpetuo Socorro Church
As Sánchez Molinari faced the congregation, the large wooden crucifix holding a representation of Jesus Christ sheared away from the wall above the altar and struck the back of his head and neck. The impact knocked the clergyman forward out of camera view.
Audio from the broadcast captured frantic cries from the pews, with one parishioner shouting Father, father… call an ambulance!
as others rushed to help the fallen clergyman before the transmission was cut.
Emergency responders arrived at the church in Ecuador’s most populous city, located roughly 265 kilometers southwest of Quito, but paramedics were unable to revive him at the scene.
Archdiocese and Community Response in Guayaquil
Before arriving at Perpetuo Socorro, Sánchez Molinari served for several years as parish priest of San Lorenzo de Vinces.
The Archdiocese of Guayaquil announced in an official communique that We report that our beloved Fr. Patricio Alfredo Sánchez Molinari, CSsR., who served as parish priest of the Perpetuo Socorro church in the Central Vicarage, has departed for the Father's House to enjoy His presence and His glory.
Fellow clergy and local parishioners expressed grief across social media platforms following the accident. The Salesians in Ecuador noted that Sánchez Molinari originally hailed from Cuenca, writing that he accompanied the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians and young people with closeness, love, and pastoral dedication, and expressed certainty that he already enjoys God’s presence. Betty Montaño stated that the priest was surprised by death while fulfilling the celebration of the Holy Mass, while Mari Pérez expressed hope that he is enjoying God while noting the importance of examining what caused the accident and exercising more care in placing images.
Unanswered Questions Regarding the Structural Failure
While the video recording of the mass preserved the visual sequence of the incident, official bodies have not yet determined the mechanical cause of the collapse or whether local authorities initiated a formal investigation into how the heavy wooden fixture was anchored to the wall. The ecclesiastical part did not report whether he died at the location or after receiving medical attention, nor did it provide details regarding the condition of the cross or the system that kept it fixed to the wall.
Ecclesiastical authorities in Guayaquil scheduled a memorial Eucharist for Sunday, October 18, at 9:00 p.m. local time inside the Nuestra Señora del Perpetuo Socorro church, where members of the Redemptorist community and local churchgoers gathered to mourn the pastor.