A PRIEST was crushed to death by a giant altar cross during a live Catholic Holy Mass broadcast in Latin America.
Patricio Sanchez was leading the service when the heavy wooden crucifix on the wall behind him appeared to detach.
Shocking footage shows the structure hinge forward before crashing over the back of the priest’s head.
Patricio had just adjusted his glasses when he was smashed onto the altar table in front of him.
Churchgoers rushed to help the priest who became pinned under the cross but he was killed instantly by the impact.
The jaw-dropping tragedy occurred on Saturday afternoon at a church in the Ecuadorian port city of Guayaquil.
The horror struck around 27 minutes into Patricio’s livestream at Guayaquil’s Perpetuo Socorro Church.
Overnight the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Guayaquil confirmed the priest’s death.
A statement said: “We inform you that our beloved Father Patricio Alfredo Sanchez Molinari, who served as parish priest of the Perpetual Help church in the Central Vicariate, has departed for the Father’s House to enjoy his presence and glory.
“The Archdiocese of Guayaquil joins in prayer for the eternal rest of his soul and expresses its solidarity, affection and love to the Redemptorist family, his relatives and friends.
“Rest in peace.”
Tributes from friends and colleagues have flooded in online to express their heartbreak.
Devastated David Pazos responded by saying: “My schoolmate. May he rest in peace.
“Heartfelt condolences to family and friends.”
Jeanferich Ontiveros wrote on social media: “Rest in peace. It looks like a scene out of a horror film.”
A local resident wrote: “With the thousand ways you can die, what number would this one be at?”
And another said: “How surreal! What is the probability of something like this happening. Terrible to watch.”
Patricio belonged to the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer.
Founded in Italy in 1732 the congregation today has thousands of members serving in more than 100 countries around the world.
The victim’s age has not been made public.
Police sources have told local press they are not investigating the accident at the moment.