The priest, identified as Father Patricio Sánchez Molinari, was conducting the service on Saturday when the cross mounted behind the altar reportedly became detached and struck him. The incident was captured during a livestream of the religious service on social media.

Reports by the Associated Press and Ecuadorian newspaper El Universo said worshippers called for help and rushed to assist the priest after the incident. The livestream continued to capture the congregation’s reaction as those present sought assistance.

The Archdiocese of Guayaquil confirmed Sánchez Molinari’s death and identified him as a member of the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer, commonly known as the Redemptorists, a Catholic religious order founded in 1732.

Following his death, the archdiocese expressed condolences to the Redemptorist community and to the priest’s relatives and friends.

Sánchez Molinari had previously served at San Lorenzo de Vinces parish for several years, according to local media reports. The parish community also mourned his death.

The circumstances that caused the cross to come loose from its mounting had not been established in the reports available at the time of publication. Local authorities had not publicly provided further details about the incident.

The death has raised concerns about the safety of heavy fixtures mounted above places of worship, particularly in areas where congregations gather beneath them. Any determination of what caused the cross to fall would depend on the findings of the relevant authorities.

Reporting by TalkNaija Media