The incident occurred on Saturday, October 17, at Perpetuo Socorro Church, according to the Associated Press (AP), as reported by PEOPLE.
A Catholic priest has died after a large wooden crucifix fell from a church wall and struck him during a livestreamed Mass in Guayaquil, Ecuador.
The priest was identified as Father Patricio Alfredo Sánchez Molinari by the Archdiocese of Guayaquil in a statement shared on social media.
Sánchez Molinari was a member of the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer, also known as the Redemptorists, a religious order founded in 1732 that focuses on missionary work, preaching and serving disadvantaged communities.
Footage of the incident shows the priest standing at the pulpit while a woman in the congregation recites a prayer. Moments later, the large crucifix mounted on the wall behind him falls and strikes him, knocking him out of the camera’s view.
Congregants can be heard screaming in shock as several women rush towards the priest to help him.
In its statement, the Archdiocese of Guayaquil expressed condolences over his death and offered prayers for his soul.
“The Archdiocese of Guayaquil joins in prayer for the eternal rest of his soul and expresses its solidarity, affection and love to the Redemptorist community, his family and friends,” the statement said.
“Rest in peace,” it added.
The cause of the crucifix falling was not immediately known. Authorities had not publicly commented on the incident at the time of the report.
