Family of priest killed by falling crucifix speak out days after his death with claim about cross
A Catholic priest died after a heavy wooden cross fell from a church wall and struck him during Mass in Ecuador, prompting his family to demand an investigation into the circumstances surrounding his death.
Father Patricio Sánchez Molinari was leading a service in Guayaquil on Saturday, October 17, when the cross came loose behind him. It fell and struck him on the head.
The incident occurred on Saturday 17th of October at the Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church (Iglesia del Perpetuo Socorro).
Parishioners immediately called the emergency services, and an ambulance was rushed to the scene.
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Reports from Angelus News indicate that Father Patricio Alfredo Sánchez Molinari was killed almost immediately upon being struck.
Moments before the heavy wooden crucifix fell from the altar wall, the priest was delivering a sermon on mortality.
His exact words during the livestreamed Mass were: "Dear brothers and sisters, one day, all of us here will also die… one day we will all die, and the time we spent on trivial things will prove far less meaningful than the time we invested in God."
Why is the family of Father Patricio Sánchez calling for an investigation?
According to Ecuadorian newspaper Extra, Sánchez's relatives want authorities to establish exactly how the cross fell and whether anyone could be held responsible.
Patricio León, a relative of the priest, spoke to reporters in Cuenca, Sánchez's home city, where the family gathered for his wake.
"It may be God's will, but there should be an investigation in Guayaquil," León said.
He also questioned the circumstances of the crucifix falling on Sánchez's head in the middle of a religious service.
A preliminary assessment by Ecuador's National Police classified the death as accidental, attributing it to a heavy blow.
However, specialists quoted by El Comercio said prosecutors should determine whether the circumstances could amount to culpable homicide, which involves a death caused by negligence.
They said investigators would need to examine the cross's fixings, how it had been installed and what measures were in place to keep it secure.
Because the fatal incident was recorded during the livestream, prosecutors could reportedly open an investigation without waiting for a formal complaint.
No technical report had been released at the time of the report.
The Archdiocese of Guayaquil issued a statement, signed by Cardinal Luis Cabrera, announcing that the priest 'has departed for the Father’s House to enjoy His presence and His glory' and expressing that it joins 'in prayer for the eternal rest of his soul, while offering its solidarity, affection, and care to the Redemptorist family, as well as to his own family and friends.'
Sánchez was a member of the Redemptorists, a Catholic missionary order, and led the parish in south-central Guayaquil. He had previously served at a parish in Vinces.
His family held his wake at Santa Ana cemetery in Cuenca on Tuesday, October 20, before his burial at 3pm.
The incident recalls a separate tragedy in Italy in 2014, when a 30-meter crucifix honoring Pope John Paul II collapsed in Cevo, killing 21-year-old Marco Gusmini.
Topics: Catholic Church, World News, Religion
Thomas Bamford