Father Patricio Alfredo Sanchez Molinari, a Catholic priest in Ecuador, tragically died after a large crucifix fell on him during a livestreamed Mass. The shocking incident occurred moments after he delivered a poignant sermon about the fleeting nature of life and urged parishioners to spend time with God.
A Catholic priest in Ecuador died after a large crucifix hanging behind him fell on the back of his head during a livestreamed Mass, moments after he delivered a sermon on the fleeting nature of life, the NY Post reported.
Father Patricio Alfredo Sanchez Molinari, who served as parish priest at the Church of Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Guayaquil, died on Saturday, the Archdiocese of Guayaquil announced.
The livestream, which was later removed, caught the incident. The crucifix abruptly fell forward upon the priest as he stood behind the altar, facing the crowd, oblivious to what was occurring behind him, according to the footage that NBC News examined.
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The cross hit Molinari, but he did not rise again. As some hurried to assist him and get an ambulance, parishioners could be heard sobbing and yelling. Despite the arrival of first responders, officials said the priest was pronounced dead the same day.
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Unfortunately, just before the tragedy, Molinari had been thinking about mortality and the fleeting nature of life. He discussed Jesus' teachings throughout his speech and exhorted the crowd to spend time with God and their loved ones rather of wasting it browsing through their phones.
He spoke to the assembly, “Everyone here will eventually die, and sometimes the time we've spent on things doesn't have as much meaning as the time we spend with God.” The crucifix behind him abruptly broke off from the wall and fell on him as he started another prayer, begging God to bless everyone in attendance.
Church Mourns Priest's Passing
In a statement, the Archdiocese of Guayaquil acknowledged Molinari's passing and expressed sorrow for the priest's passing. Molinari was a member of the Church of Our Lady of Perpetual Help in the Central Vicariate. On Sunday nite, a Eucharist was planned in his honour. It is still unknown what caused the hefty crucifix to separate from the wall. The incident has not been explained in public by church leaders.
