# Priest killed by falling crucifix while doing priest stuff **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [October 18, 2026, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/priest-killed-by-falling-crucifix-while-doing-priest-stuff/1033954 "2026-10-18T21:23:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2026, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/priest-killed-by-falling-crucifix-while-doing-priest-stuff/1033954/1 "2026-10-18T21:23:20Z")
> A Catholic priest was killed in Ecuador on Saturday when a massive wooden crucifix collapsed onto him as he celebrated Mass, in a horrifying accident captured during a live broadcast watched by worshippers at home. Footage of the incident has since spread across social media, showing the final moments of Father Patricio Alfredo Sánchez Molinari’s life. > **[Priest killed as giant crucifix falls on him during livestreamed Mass in Ecuador](https://www.ynetnews.com/article/ryuf2wg3zl)** > > Father Patricio Alfredo Sánchez Molinari was struck by a heavy wooden cross as he addressed worshippers in Guayaquil; horrified congregants called for an ambulance, but medics could only confirm his death Posted in the pit so that comments can be as disrespectful as you please. ---
**Author:** ![Locrian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/locrian/32/14146_2.png) [@Locrian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Locrian)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2026, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/priest-killed-by-falling-crucifix-while-doing-priest-stuff/1033954/2 "2026-10-18T21:45:13Z")
:: snerk :: With apologies, I watched the video and I cackled for at least seven minutes. Then it died down to a chuckle and ROSE AGAIN from my inner depths into full-blown laughter for another ten minutes. It was as good as a Looney Tunes. My apologies. I feel very badly for him and his church. As it is written, religion can be very very dangerous. ---
**Author:** ![Railer13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/railer13/32/9742_2.png) [@Railer13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Railer13)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2026, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/priest-killed-by-falling-crucifix-while-doing-priest-stuff/1033954/3 "2026-10-18T21:50:17Z")
If one believed in such things, one might think that this was a pretty definite sign from God that the good Father’s time was up. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2026, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/priest-killed-by-falling-crucifix-while-doing-priest-stuff/1033954/4 "2026-10-18T21:51:58Z")
God scores own goal. ---
**Author:** ![Pardel-Lux](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pardel-lux/32/20182_2.png) [@Pardel-Lux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pardel-Lux)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2026, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/priest-killed-by-falling-crucifix-while-doing-priest-stuff/1033954/5 "2026-10-18T21:56:55Z")
That’s a new one to me: Jesus kills! Thoughts and prayers, of course. And hilarity. An ungodly amount of it. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2026, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/priest-killed-by-falling-crucifix-while-doing-priest-stuff/1033954/6 "2026-10-18T22:12:04Z")
If I had known about this before giving a guest sermon at my local church this morning, I might have changed it up a bit. ---
**Author:** ![Stratocaster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stratocaster/32/16393_2.png) [@Stratocaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stratocaster)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2026, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/priest-killed-by-falling-crucifix-while-doing-priest-stuff/1033954/7 "2026-10-18T22:25:24Z")
Over in the school shooter thread there’s much soul searching and gnashing of teeth because, God forbid, perhaps we weren’t valuing the shooter’s life adequately. And then here we giggle over a priest’s death. This says something about this board. Not sure what. ---
**Author:** ![Locrian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/locrian/32/14146_2.png) [@Locrian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Locrian)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2026, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/priest-killed-by-falling-crucifix-while-doing-priest-stuff/1033954/8 "2026-10-18T22:27:35Z")
I’m guessing there will be hundreds of versions of this clip with appropriate background music. Like the Price Is Right losing music timed right. “Bum bum Buh-bum / Waaaaoooo…” Maybe some really fast vaudeville piano. ---
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2026, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/priest-killed-by-falling-crucifix-while-doing-priest-stuff/1033954/9 "2026-10-19T00:27:56Z")
Somewhere, Alanis Morissette is furiously scribbling… ---
**Author:** ![ekedolphin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ekedolphin/32/10003_2.png) [@ekedolphin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ekedolphin)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2026, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/priest-killed-by-falling-crucifix-while-doing-priest-stuff/1033954/10 "2026-10-19T00:31:46Z")
A horrible tragedy. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2026, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/priest-killed-by-falling-crucifix-while-doing-priest-stuff/1033954/11 "2026-10-19T00:38:18Z")
Whatever happened to “God’s will”? ---
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2026, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/priest-killed-by-falling-crucifix-while-doing-priest-stuff/1033954/12 "2026-10-19T00:47:10Z")
Or the end of “Remember Me” from _Coco_. ---
**Author:** ![Locrian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/locrian/32/14146_2.png) [@Locrian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Locrian)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2026, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/priest-killed-by-falling-crucifix-while-doing-priest-stuff/1033954/13 "2026-10-19T01:06:18Z")
Or “Dear God” XTC timed for opening drum break. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2026, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/priest-killed-by-falling-crucifix-while-doing-priest-stuff/1033954/14 "2026-10-19T01:40:26Z")
> [@Stratocaster](#): > > And then here we giggle over a priest’s death. This says something about this board. Not sure what. Yeah, I understand that religion, and religious people, have been responsible for a lot of evil in the world, and I understand that nonreligious people resent that. If this guy had been engaged in evil while he died, then I could likewise understand some schadenfreude. But he was just leading people in prayer, an activity that is at worst morally neutral. That’s not something that deserves death. It’s not even something that deserves jokes about death. ---
**Author:** ![Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eyebrows_0f_doom/32/3119_2.png) [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2026, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/priest-killed-by-falling-crucifix-while-doing-priest-stuff/1033954/15 "2026-10-19T01:42:53Z")
As described in the OP this sounds like a really horrible tragedy. Nothing about it seems at all humorous or worthy of ridicule. ---
**Author:** ![Baal\_Houtham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baal_houtham/32/13604_2.png) [@Baal\_Houtham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baal_Houtham)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2026, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/priest-killed-by-falling-crucifix-while-doing-priest-stuff/1033954/16 "2026-10-19T01:45:54Z")
i don’t think many people were wringing their hands in that thread. There were over 50 participants, and other than the OP maybe one poster was decidedly perturbed. Two more had some moderated misgivings. That’s based on a quick reread. As for the death of this priest, I’m mostly glad I don’t have to worry myself about why Jehovah would cause or allow this to happen. A major maintenance lapse it was and nothing more. As far as optics go, it’s about as bad a way to die as a priest could imagine. ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2026, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/priest-killed-by-falling-crucifix-while-doing-priest-stuff/1033954/17 "2026-10-19T01:53:40Z")
Especially if they put the priest in the ground, but the cross back up on the wall. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2026, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/priest-killed-by-falling-crucifix-while-doing-priest-stuff/1033954/18 "2026-10-19T01:56:03Z")
The other way around would be much worse. ---
**Author:** ![Baal\_Houtham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baal_houtham/32/13604_2.png) [@Baal\_Houtham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baal_Houtham)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2026, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/priest-killed-by-falling-crucifix-while-doing-priest-stuff/1033954/19 "2026-10-19T02:02:58Z")
Heh. Jesus: “Tag! You’re it!” ---
**Author:** ![Guest-starring\_Id](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guest-starring_id/32/21736_2.png) [@Guest-starring\_Id](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guest-starring_Id)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2026, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/priest-killed-by-falling-crucifix-while-doing-priest-stuff/1033954/20 "2026-10-19T02:03:14Z")
> [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](#): > > As described in the OP this sounds like a really horrible tragedy. Nothing about it seems at all humorous or worthy of ridicule. Concurred, and **Chronos** ’s post (#14) couldn’t have summed it more perfectly for me. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/priest-killed-by-falling-crucifix-while-doing-priest-stuff/1033954.md?page=2)