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A Catholic priest was killed after a crucifix fell on him during a livestreamed mass in Ecuador, church officials said.
Patricio Alfredo Sánchez Molinari died on Saturday at the Church of Perpetual Relief in Guayaquil, a coastal city about 265km southwest of the capital, Quito, the Archdiocese of Guayaquil said. He was the parish priest at the church.
Graphic footage of the mass, which circulated widely on social media before it was taken down, showed a heavy crucifix hanging on the wall behind the altar suddenly detaching and falling onto the back of the priest’s head.
The priest was facing the congregation and did not see it fall.
The video showed that he did not stand up again.
Parishioners were heard shrieking and crying, and some rushed to tend to him, while the livestream continued.
“Father, Father! Call an ambulance!” people could be heard shouting just before the broadcast cut out.
The video of the livestream was later taken down, NBC News reported.
Emergency services were immediately called to the scene, but first responders were unable to revive the priest.
The archdiocese said in a statement that he “has left to the House of the Father to enjoy his presence and glory”.
Sánchez belonged to the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer, a Roman Catholic religious order founded in 1732 with a presence in 80 countries, according to the Associated Press.
A Eucharist in his memory was scheduled for Sunday evening, the archdiocese said.
Local authorities were yet to comment on the incident, and it was not clear what caused the crucifix to fall.
In 2014, a 21-year old man died and his friend was injured after they were crushed by a crucifix erected in honour of Pope John Paul II in northern Italy. The same year, a mother of two died in Chicago, US, after a stone gargoyle fell three stories from an old church, striking her as she was taking a walk with her fiancé.
