Priest dies after cross falls in Guayaquil
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on La Nouvelle Tribune
Father Patricio Alfredo Sánchez Molinari died after being struck by a wooden cross that fell during a mass in Guayaquil, Ecuador. The Archdiocese of Guayaquil confirmed his death on 18 October 2026 and paid tribute to him, while the circumstances of the fall remain under examination, according to its official message.
Father Patricio Alfredo Sánchez Molinari, parish priest of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church in Guayaquil, died after being struck on the head by a wooden cross that came away from the wall during a mass on Saturday 17 October 2026. The Archdiocese of Guayaquil confirmed his death.
The priest was leading the service, which was being streamed live, when the cross, decorated with a figure of Christ, fell behind him. The footage later circulated on social media. Father Sánchez Molinari belonged to the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer.
Summary produced with the help of artificial intelligence tools, under AFREEQUE’s editorial responsibility.
