A Guayaquil priest is 30 minutes into a livestreamed Mass when a massive wooden crucifix falls on his head: “Father, Father…call an ambulance.”
Viewers now wonder about the church's infrastucture.
What should have been a normal Mass, both in person and on livestream, took a devastating turn in a church in Guayaquil, Ecuador, when the crucifix in Our Lady of Perpetual Help’s church fell on the head of Father Patricio Alfredo Sánchez Molinari in the middle of the service, according to Bored Panda.
Roughly 30 minutes into Mass on Saturday night, the church’s wooden cross detached and fell on Father Molinari while he was speaking to the congregation. Prior to the crucifix striking Father Molinari on the head, the livestream footage makes it appear that he was unaware that anything was amiss.
Father Molinari was pronounced dead that day
After the crucifix falls, the audio captures parishioners calling for help. One woman says, “Father, Father, call an ambulance!”
Emergency services were called to the church, and they took Father Molinari for medical treatment. However, he was pronounced dead later that same day.
The Guayaquil Archdiocese put out the following statement: “We announce that our beloved Fr. Patricio Alfredo Sánchez Molinari, CSsR., who served as parish priest of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church in the Central Vicariate, has departed for the Father’s House to rejoice in His presence and glory. Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord. And let perpetual light shine upon him. May he rest in peace. Amen.”
The Catholic community has had a rough time recently
Commenters responded to the story when Fox News shared it on its X (formerly Twitter). Be warned that the link to Fox News’ X account includes the video of the incident, which might be difficult to watch. The video itself auto plays and starts right as the crucifix falls, making it difficult to avoid seeing on many X posts, especially since most of them haven’t put any kind of content warning on the video that gives users the option not to view it.
The responses were mostly positive, wishing Father Molinari peace and giving condolences to his congregation in Ecuador. Many commenters posted about how unexpected, sudden, and tragic the situation was. One reads, “That’s absolutely heartbreaking. What a tragic and shocking way for a service to end.”
Meanwhile, the Catholic community has been rocked by news of Pope Leo’s surgery and lung cancer as well. However, just like Father Molinari’s final sermon being about how everybody will one day die, making life that much more important while living it, Pope Leo continues his work even during recovery by urging a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine.
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