Ecuador: Redemptorist priest dies after a cross falls on him during Mass in Guayaquil

Patricio Alfredo Sánchez Molinari, a Redemptorist priest and parish priest of Perpetuo Socorro church in Guayaquil, Ecuador, died on Saturday, October 17. A wooden cross came loose from the wall behind the altar and fell on him while he was celebrating Mass: the scene is documented in the livestream footage. The Archdiocese of Guayaquil's note does not state the cause of death.

Who he was
Patricio Alfredo Sánchez Molinari belonged to the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer (CSsR) and was parish priest of Nuestra Señora del Perpetuo Socorro church, in the Centro vicariate of the Archdiocese of Guayaquil.

What happened
The cross falling is documented in the footage of the livestream the priest was broadcasting from his own profile. Ecuadorian broadcaster Oromar writes that the priest died "luego de que una pesada cruz de madera cayera sobre él mientras celebraba una misa en Guayaquil" ("after a heavy wooden cross fell on him while he was celebrating Mass in Guayaquil", our translation), in the church at José Mascote and Calicuchima streets. The celebration was being streamed live on social media, and the footage "muestran cómo el crucifijo se desprende y cae" ("shows the crucifix coming loose and falling", our translation). According to Oromar, so far "no se han informado oficialmente las causas" ("the causes have not been officially reported", our translation) of the structure coming loose (Oromar). According to El Heraldo de México, as reported by Infovaticana, it was the daily Mass streamed from the priest's own profile, and the cross was set into the wall behind him (Infovaticana). Marca reports that a woman can be heard in the video shouting for an ambulance and that emergency services could not save him (Marca).

The Archdiocese's note
The Archdiocese of Guayaquil's death notice, dated 17 October 2026 and signed by Cardinal Archbishop Luis Cabrera Herrera, reads: «Informamos que nuestro hermano P. Patricio Alfredo Sánchez Molinari, CSsR. quien se desempeñaba como párroco de la iglesia Perpetuo Socorro, vicaría centro, ha partido a la Casa del Padre para gozar de su presencia y su gloria. La Arquidiócesis de Guayaquil se une en oración por el eterno descanso de su alma y expresa su solidaridad, afecto y cariño a la familia redentorista, a sus familiares y amigos.»

("We inform you that our brother Fr Patricio Alfredo Sánchez Molinari, CSsR, who served as parish priest of Perpetuo Socorro church, Centro vicariate, has gone to the House of the Father to enjoy his presence and his glory. The Archdiocese of Guayaquil joins in prayer for the eternal rest of his soul and expresses its solidarity, affection and closeness to the Redemptorist family, to his relatives and friends", our translation.) The note does not refer to the circumstances of his death.

The homily
According to social media posts citing the livestream, minutes earlier in his homily the priest had said: "Un día todos los que estamos aquí también vamos a morir" ("One day all of us here will also die", our translation). We have not found the phrase in a news outlet, nor verified it against the recording.

Sources: Oromar · Infovaticana · Marca · Archdiocese of Guayaquil death notice

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