Father Sánchez, 53, was leading a Saturday evening service on October 17 at the Church of Perpetual Relief when the accident happened.

He was standing near the altar and speaking to worshippers when the crucifix suddenly came loose from the wall.

It struck him on the back of the head.

The priest fell behind the altar and disappeared from view.

Worshippers immediately screamed and rushed forward to help.

The disturbing moment was captured on a livestream from inside the church.

Just moments earlier, Father Sánchez had been speaking about death, faith, and the importance of spending time on what truly matters.

“One day, all of us here will also die,” he told the congregation.

He then reflected on how time spent with God and loved ones can carry greater meaning than many of the things people worry about in everyday life.

Moments later, the crucifix fell.

Emergency services were called, but Father Sánchez did not survive.

A preliminary assessment by Ecuador’s National Police classified the death as an accident.

Authorities said he had suffered a severe blow to the head.

However, questions have continued to grow over how such a large and heavy object could have fallen during the service.

Legal experts quoted by El Comercio have said prosecutors may need to examine whether negligence played a role.

That could potentially raise questions about culpable homicide, depending on what investigators discover.

Father Sánchez’s family has also demanded answers.

Relatives have said they want authorities to determine exactly how the crucifix was secured and whether the tragedy could have been prevented.

Patricio León, a relative of the priest, said the family believes an investigation is necessary.

“It may be God’s will, but an investigation should be carried out,” he said.

The livestream footage shows how suddenly the crucifix fell.

However, investigators are now expected to look beyond the video.

They may examine the mounting system, the condition of the wall, maintenance records, and whether there had been any previous warning signs.

While the investigation continues, one of Father Sánchez’s colleagues has shared another heartbreaking detail.

Redemptorist priest Pedro Calle, who helps handle administrative matters for the Redemptorist Congregation in the Andean-Caribbean Province, spoke about the emotional impact of Father Sánchez’s death.

Calle described the tragedy as a source of deep “internal pain.”

The circumstances, he explained, have been especially difficult to process because of the way Father Sánchez died.

He said Father Sánchez had been doing what he loved when the accident happened.

Calle also revealed that the crucifix itself was largely undamaged.

According to him, only part of the leg area was affected.

That detail has made the circumstances even more emotional for those close to the priest.

Calle described Father Sánchez as having died “embraced by the cross.”

He also reflected on the religious symbolism of the moment.

For him, the tragedy carried a painful spiritual meaning because Father Sánchez died while celebrating his faith.

The priest’s final moments have therefore become especially powerful for colleagues and members of the congregation.

He had been speaking about death.

He had been encouraging people to think about faith and family.

Then, within moments, his own life ended in an accident involving one of Christianity’s most recognizable symbols.

For those who knew Father Sánchez, the shock has been difficult to process.

But the investigation is now focused on a more practical question.

How did the crucifix fall?

And could anything have been done to stop it?

Until authorities complete their investigation, those questions remain unanswered.

What is clear is that Father Sánchez’s death has left his family, colleagues, and congregation grieving.

His loved ones are now asking for both accountability and clarity.

They want to know whether the accident was an unforeseeable tragedy or the result of something that should have been noticed earlier.

Meanwhile, the image of the priest standing beneath the crucifix just moments before it fell has become one of the most haunting details of the story.

Father Sánchez died while doing what he had dedicated his life to.

For his colleagues, that fact offers some comfort.

But it does not erase the need for answers.

Rest in peace, Father Patricio Alfredo Sánchez Molinari.