A Catholic priest in Ecuador has died after a large wooden crucifix fell on him while he was celebrating Mass at a church in Guayaquil.
The incident, which occurred on Saturday, was captured during a livestream of the service at Perpetuo Socorro Church in Ecuador’s largest city.
The priest, identified as Father Patricio Alfredo Sánchez Molinari, was addressing worshippers when the heavy cross mounted on the wall above the altar toppled onto him, about 30 minutes into the Mass.
Footage of the incident showed members of the congregation screaming for help, with one woman heard calling for an ambulance as the livestream continued.
Emergency services were called to the church, but Sánchez Molinari was later pronounced dead.
The church confirmed his death in a statement, expressing sorrow over the loss of the priest, who served as parish priest at the church in the Central Vicariate.
The circumstances that caused the crucifix to fall remained unclear, and church officials had not publicly explained the incident at the time of reporting.
Sánchez Molinari belonged to the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer, a Roman Catholic religious order founded in 1732 with a presence in about 80 countries.
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