A young man was killed in Northern Italy Friday after being crushed by a crucifix that was erected to honor Pope John Paul II.

Marco Gusmini, 21, was killed instantly after being crushed by the crucifix, and another man was taken to the hospital with injuries, BBC News reports.

Part of the 100-foot sculpture collapsed at the ceremony, which was held three days before the Pope's canonization.

Both John Paul II and his predecessor, Pope John XXIII, are to be declared saints at the Vatican this upcoming Sunday.

The crucifix was erected to commemorate Pope John Paul II's visit to the region in 1998.

The cross, which is near the town of Cevo, was designed as a large, curved cross bearing the statue of Jesus Christ at the top, which weighs 1,320 pounds.

A group of children were also at the site when part of the crucifix collapsed.

The sculpture was designed by sculptor Enrico Job, and was created for John Paul II's visit to the nearby town of Brescia.

Polish-born John Paul II was the first non-Italian pope in 450 years.

In order to the canonized, the Vatican has to approve at least two miracles that were completed by the person being considered for sainthood.

John Paul's first "miracle" was asking god to cure a French nun of Parkinson's disease, and his second miracle was curing a Costa Rican woman who prayed to him to help cure her of a medical ailment.

Friday's freak crucifix accident is not the first death reported by a falling crucifix in the country.

In 2004, a 72-year-old woman was crushed to death by a 7-foot-tall metal crucifix in the southern Italian town of Sant'Onofrio.