The tragic incident in Ecuador was captured on camera during a livestreamed service<\/p>\n
A Catholic priest in Ecuador has been killed after a large wooden crucifix fell from a church wall and struck him on the head during Mass.
\nThe tragedy occurred on Saturday at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church in the southern city of Guayaquil. The service was livestreamed on social media, according to local media reports.
\nFootage shows the 53-year-old parish priest, Father Patricio Alfredo Sanchez Molinari, standing near the altar when the crucifix mounted on the wall behind him suddenly tilts forward and falls on him. The incident occurred roughly 30 minutes into the service leaving the congregation stunned and bereaved.
\nThe Archdiocese of Guayaquil subsequently confirmed the priest\u2019s death in an official statement, saying Cardinal Luis Cabrera joined \u201cin prayer for the eternal rest of his soul and expresses its solidarity, affection and love to the Redemptorist family, to his families and friends.\u201d<\/p>\n
Parishioners at San Lorenzo in Vinces, where Father Patricio had previously served, also paid tribute to the priest, recalling his \u201cdedication and pastoral love\u201d to their community.
\nEcuadorian authorities have not publicly commented on the incident, and the cause of the crucifix\u2019s fall remains unknown.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The tragic incident in Ecuador was captured on camera during a livestreamed service A Catholic priest in Ecuador has been killed after a large wooden crucifix fell from a church…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":40119,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rop_custom_images_group":[],"rop_custom_messages_group":[],"rop_publish_now":"initial","rop_publish_now_accounts":[],"rop_publish_now_history":[],"rop_publish_now_status":"pending","footnotes":""},"categories":[4,6,3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-40118","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-economy","category-environment","category-politics"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t