A priest’s final words before giant crucifix crushes him during Mass
Emergency medical personnel were unable to save the man
Father Patricio Alfredo Sánchez Molinari was speaking to his congregation about death, faith and the importance of spending time with loved ones when tragedy struck. Moments later, the 53-year-old Catholic priest was fatally struck by a large crucifix that fell from the wall behind him during a livestreamed Mass in Guayaquil, Ecuador.
The incident occurred Saturday, October 17, during a 7 p.m. service at the Church of Our Lady of Perpetual Help in the city’s Central Vicariate . About 30 minutes into the Mass, the wall-mounted crucifix fell forward, striking Sánchez Molinari on the back of the head as he stood at the altar before worshippers.
The shocking moment was captured on the church’s livestream. Footage, which has since been taken down, reportedly showed parishioners screaming and crying as they rushed to respond. “Father, Father … call an ambulance,” a woman could be heard shouting as the congregation tried to comprehend what had happened.
Emergency medical personnel were unable to save the priest. Church officials announced his death hours later, although it remains unclear whether he died at the scene or after being taken to a hospital. Authorities are investigating the circumstances surrounding the accident.
A final message about what matters most
In a heartbreaking coincidence, Sánchez Molinari had reportedly been speaking about mortality shortly before the crucifix fell. According to reports by El Universo and the New York Post, the priest had urged worshippers to reconsider how they spent their time, emphasizing that relationships, faith and family mattered more than the pressures of work and money.
“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,” he said, according to the reports. “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.”
Those words have taken on a devastating significance following his death, resonating with parishioners and others who learned of the tragedy online. Sánchez Molinari was serving as parish priest at Our Lady of Perpetual Help , a congregation now mourning the loss of a religious leader who had been addressing the very subject of life’s fragility moments before the fatal accident.
Church and parishioners mourn the loss
Church officials paid tribute to the priest in a statement shared on social media, announcing that he had “departed for the Father's House to rejoice in His presence and glory.” The message continued with a traditional prayer for the dead: “Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord. And let perpetual light shine upon him. May he rest in peace. Amen.”
Messages of grief and remembrance quickly followed. One person wrote that the Church was mourning while giving thanks for the life of a priest who had dedicated himself to others.
“A priest never dies alone, he dies having lived for others,” the tribute read. “With his hands he blessed, with his voice he forgave, with his life he taught us the Gospel not only with words, but with the example of his daily dedication.”
Another parishioner prayed that Sánchez Molinari would be welcomed into God's glory, describing him as one of the best priests the parish had known. “His passing is very sad, only God knows why it happened this way, we will miss you a lot Father Patricio,” the person wrote. Others extended their condolences to the Guayaquil church , the priest’s family and friends, and the community he had served.
