Anthony Soter Fernandez facts for kids
Quick facts for kids His Eminence Anthony Soter Fernandez |
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| Cardinal and Archbishop Emeritus of Kuala Lumpur | |
Cardinal Fernandez at the consistory in 2016
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| Church | Roman Catholic Church |
| Diocese | Archdiocese of Kuala Lumpur |
| Enthroned | 10 November 1983 |
| Reign ended | 24 May 2003 |
| Predecessor | Dominic Vendargon |
| Successor | Murphy Nicholas Xavier Pakiam |
| Other posts | Cardinal-Priest of Sant'Alberto Magno |
| Orders | |
| Ordination | 10 December 1966 |
| Consecration | 17 February 1978 by Gregory Yong, Chan Soon Cheong, and Lee Kok Hin |
| Created Cardinal | 19 November 2016 |
| Rank | Cardinal-Priest |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 22 April 1932 Sungai Petani, Kedah, Unfederated Malay States |
| Died | 28 October 2020 (aged 88) Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia |
| Buried | St. John's Cathedral, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia |
| Nationality | Malaysian |
| Denomination | Catholic Church |
| Previous post | Bishop of Penang (1977–1983) |
| Motto | Keadilan dan Keamanan (Justice and Peace) |
| Coat of arms |  |
| Styles of Anthony Soter Fernandez |
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| Reference style | His Eminence |
| Spoken style | Your Eminence |
| Informal style | Cardinal |
Anthony Soter Fernandez (born April 22, 1932 – died October 28, 2020) was an important leader in the Catholic Church from Malaysia. He was the very first Malaysian to become a Cardinal. He served as the Archbishop of Kuala Lumpur for many years, from 1983 to 2003.
Contents
Biography
Early Life and Priesthood
Anthony Soter Fernandez was born on April 22, 1932. His birthplace was Sungai Petani in Kedah, Malaysia. He decided to become a priest. On December 10, 1966, he was ordained as a priest for the Diocese of Penang.
Becoming a Bishop and Archbishop
On September 29, 1977, he was chosen to be the Bishop of Penang. He officially became a bishop on February 17, 1978. The ceremony was led by Gregory Yong, who was the Archbishop of Singapore.
Later, Pope John Paul II appointed him as the second Archbishop of Kuala Lumpur. This happened on July 30, 1983. He officially took on this role on November 10, 1983.
He also served as the president of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei. He held this important position twice: from 1987 to 1990, and again from 2000 to 2003. Pope John Paul II accepted his retirement as archbishop on May 24, 2003.
Becoming a Cardinal
A very special moment in his life came on November 19, 2016. Pope Francis made him a Cardinal during a special ceremony called a consistory. This was a historic event because he was the first person from Malaysia to ever become a Cardinal.
Later Life and Legacy
Cardinal Fernandez passed away on October 28, 2020. He died at the Little Sisters of the Poor St. Francis Xavier Home in Cheras. He had been battling tongue cancer for several years. He was buried inside St. John's Cathedral, Kuala Lumpur, in the main part of the church called the nave.
See also
In Spanish: Anthony Soter Fernandez para niños
