Priest Killed After Crucifix Falls on Him During Livestreamed Mass

Priest Killed After Crucifix Falls on Him During Livestreamed Mass
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A Catholic priest in Ecuador was killed Saturday when a large crucifix fell from a church wall and struck him during a Mass being livestreamed on social media.

The Reverend Patricio Alfredo Sánchez Molinari was celebrating Mass at the Church of Perpetual Relief in Guayaquil when the crucifix suddenly detached from the wall behind the altar and struck him in the back of the head.

Video of the incident shows the priest facing the congregation, apparently unaware of the falling crucifix. Horrified parishioners screamed and rushed to help him as others called for an ambulance. The livestream was subsequently removed.

The Archdiocese of Guayaquil confirmed Sánchez Molinari’s death and expressed condolences to his family and religious community.

The priest belonged to the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer, also known as the Redemptorists.

The cause of the crucifix’s collapse remains unknown. (NBC News)

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