# Anthony Soter Fernandez

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Malaysian Catholic archbishop (1932–2020)

His Eminence Anthony Soter Fernandez Cardinal and Archbishop Emeritus of Kuala Lumpur Fernandez in 2016 Church Roman Catholic Church Diocese Archdiocese of Kuala Lumpur Predecessor Dominic Vendargon Successor Murphy Nicholas Xavier Pakiam Other post Cardinal-Priest of Sant'Alberto Magno Previous post Bishop of Penang (1977–1983) Orders Ordination 10 December 1966 Consecration 17 February 1978 by Gregory Yong, Chan Soon Cheong, and Lee Kok Hin Created cardinal 19 November 2016 by Pope Francis Rank Cardinal-Priest Personal details Born (1932-04-22)22 April 1932 Sungai Petani, Kedah, Unfederated Malay States Died 28 October 2020(2020-10-28) (aged 88) Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Buried St. John's Cathedral, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Denomination Catholic Church Motto Keadilan dan Keamanan (Justice and Peace) Coat of arms

Ordination history of Anthony Soter Fernandez History Priestly ordination Date 29 July 1973 Episcopal consecration Principal consecrator Gregory Yong Co-consecrators James Chan Soon Cheong Anthony Lee Kok Hin Date 17 February 1978 Cardinalate Elevated by Pope Francis Date 19 November 2016 Episcopal succession Bishops consecrated by Anthony Soter Fernandez as principal consecrator Murphy Nicholas Xavier Pakiam 4 Oct 1995

Styles of Anthony Soter Fernandez Reference style His Eminence Spoken style Your Eminence Religious style Cardinal Informal style Cardinal

**Anthony Soter Fernandez** (22 April 1932 – 28 October 2020) was a Malaysian prelate of the [Catholic Church](/source/Catholic_Church) who was the first Malaysian [cardinal](/source/Cardinal_(Catholic_Church)). He was [Archbishop of Kuala Lumpur](/source/Roman_Catholic_Archdiocese_of_Kuala_Lumpur) from 1983 to 2003.

## Biography

Anthony Soter Fernandez was born on 22 April 1932 in [Sungai Petani](/source/Sungai_Petani), [Kedah](/source/Kedah), Malaysia. He was ordained as a [priest](/source/Priest) of the Diocese of Penang on 10 December 1966.[1]

He was named [Bishop of Penang](/source/Roman_Catholic_Diocese_of_Penang) on 29 September 1977.[2] He received his episcopal consecration on 17 February 1978[1] from [Gregory Yong](/source/Gregory_Yong), Archbishop of Singapore.

[Pope John Paul II](/source/Pope_John_Paul_II) appointed him the second Archbishop of Kuala Lumpur on 30 July 1983[3] and he was installed there on 10 November 1983.[1]

He served as president of the [Catholic Bishops' Conference of Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei](/source/Catholic_Bishops'_Conference_of_Malaysia%2C_Singapore_and_Brunei) from 1987–1990 and 2000–2003.

Pope John Paul accepted his resignation as archbishop on 24 May 2003.[4]

Fernandez was created a cardinal by [Pope Francis](/source/Pope_Francis) in the [consistory](/source/Papal_consistory) on 19 November 2016,[5] and was the first Malaysian to be made a cardinal.[6][7]

Fernandez died on 28 October 2020 at the Little Sisters of the Poor St. Francis Xavier Home in [Cheras](/source/Cheras%2C_Kuala_Lumpur). He had been suffering from tongue cancer for several years.[8][9] He was buried in the [nave](/source/Nave) of [St. John's Cathedral, Kuala Lumpur](/source/St._John's_Cathedral%2C_Kuala_Lumpur).[10]

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-ucan_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-ucan_1-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-ucan_1-2) ["UCAN Diocesan Profile Series"](https://web.archive.org/web/20100430130856/http://www.ucanews.com/dps/html/dps-ma_kuala_lumpur.php). *Archdiocese of Kuala Lumpur*. Archived from [the original](http://www.ucanews.com/dps/html/dps-ma_kuala_lumpur.php) on 30 April 2010.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** [*Acta Apostolicae Sedis*](http://www.vatican.va/archive/aas/documents/AAS-70-1978-I-ocr.pdf) (PDF). Vol. LXX. 1978. p. 65. Retrieved 28 October 2020.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** [*Acta Apostolicae Sedis*](http://www.vatican.va/archive/aas/documents/AAS-75-1983-I-ocr.pdf) (PDF). Vol. LXXV. 1983. p. 852. Retrieved 28 October 2020.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** ["Rinunce e Nomine, 24.05.2003"](http://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/it/bollettino/pubblico/2003/05/24/0271/00820.html) (Press release) (in Italian). Holy See Press Office. 24 May 2003.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** ["Pope to create 13 new cardinals, including 3 Americans"](https://web.archive.org/web/20161010090100/https://cruxnow.com/global-church/2016/10/09/330128/). *Crux*. Archived from [the original](https://cruxnow.com/global-church/2016/10/09/330128/) on 10 October 2016. Retrieved 9 October 2016.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-nst-cardinal_6-0)** Arbee, Awaina (9 October 2016). ["Pope Francis names Malaysia's first ever cardinal"](http://www.nst.com.my/news/2016/10/179209/pope-francis-names-malaysias-first-ever-cardinal). *New Straits Times*. Retrieved 21 October 2016.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** ["Catholics celebrate first Malaysian Cardinal"](http://www.asianews.it/index.php?art=38812&l=en). *Asia News*. 10 October 2016. Retrieved 24 October 2017.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** ["Malaysia's sole Roman Catholic cardinal Fernandez dies of cancer"](https://www.msn.com/en-my/news/national/malaysias-sole-roman-catholic-cardinal-fernandez-dies-of-cancer/ar-BB1asMbF). MSN News. 28 October 2020. Retrieved 28 October 2020.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** Chandran, Sheela (1 November 2020). ["Tribute for a true man of the cloth"](https://www.thestar.com.my/news/focus/2020/11/01/tribute-for-a-true-man-of-the-cloth). *[The Star](/source/The_Star_(Malaysia))*. Retrieved 30 December 2020.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** Emmanuel Santa Maria Chin (31 October 2020). ["Cardinal Anthony Soter Fernandez buried in Cathedral of St John, KL"](https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2020/10/31/cardinal-anthony-soter-fernandez-buried-in-cathedral-of-st-john-kl/1918115). [Malay Mail](/source/Malay_Mail). Retrieved 30 December 2020.

## External links

Wikiquote has quotations related to ***[Anthony Soter Fernandez](https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Special:Search/Anthony_Soter_Fernandez)***.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to [Anthony Soter Fernandez](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Anthony_Soter_Fernandez).

- ["Fernandez Card. Anthony Soter"](https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/documentation/cardinali_biografie/cardinali_bio_fernandez_as.html). [Holy See Press Office](/source/Holy_See_Press_Office). [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20170904104555/https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/documentation/cardinali_biografie/cardinali_bio_fernandez_as.html) from the original on 4 September 2017. Retrieved 24 October 2017.

Catholic Church titles Preceded by Gregory Yong Sooi Ngean 3rd Catholic Bishop of Penang 1977–1983 Succeeded by Antony Selvanayagam Preceded by Dominic Vendargon 2nd Catholic Archbishop of Kuala Lumpur 1983–2003 Succeeded by Murphy Nicholas Xavier Pakiam Preceded by titular church established Cardinal Priest of Sant'Alberto Magno 2016–2020 Succeeded by Virgílio do Carmo da Silva

v t e Roman Catholic Bishops of Penang Francis Chan Gregory Yong Anthony Soter Fernandez Antony Selvanayagam Sebastian Francis Catholicism portal

v t e Cardinals created by Francis 2014 Parolin Baldisseri Müller Stella Nichols Brenes Lacroix Kutwa Tempesta Bassetti Poli Yeom Ezzati Ouédraogo Quevedo Langlois Capovilla Aguilar Felix 2015 Mamberti Clemente Souraphiel Dew Menichelli Nhơn Suárez Inda Bo Kovitvanit Montenegro Sturla Blázquez Lacunza Gomes Furtado Mafi Pimiento De Magistris Rauber Villalba Langa 2016 Zenari Nzapalainga Osoro da Rocha Cupich D'Rozario Porras De Kesel Piat Farrell Aguiar Retes Ribat Tobin Fernandez Corti Khoarai Simoni 2017 Zerbo Omella Arborelius Mangkhanekhoun Rosa 2018 Sako Ladaria De Donatis Becciu Krajewski Coutts Marto Barreto Tsarahazana Petrocchi Maeda Obeso Ticona Bocos 2019 Ayuso de Mendonça Suharyo Hardjoatmodjo García Ambongo Hollerich Ramazzini Zuppi López Czerny Fitzgerald Tamkevičius Dal Corso 2020 Grech Semeraro Kambanda Gregory Advincula Aós Braco Sim Lojudice Gambetti Arizmendi Tomasi Cantalamessa Feroci 2022 Roche You Vérgez Aveline Okpaleke Steiner Ferrão McElroy do Carmo da Silva Cantoni Poola Costa Baawobr Goh Martínez Flores Marengo Jimenéz Miglio Ghirlanda Frezza 2023 Prevost Gugerotti Fernández Tscherrig Pierre Pizzaballa Brislin Rossi Rueda Ryś Mulla Cobo Rugambwa Francis Chow Bustillo Alves Aguiar Fernández Artime Marchetto Padrón Dri 2024 Acerbi Castillo Bokalic Cabrera Chomali Kikuchi David Nemet Spengler Bessi Dogbo Vesco Mathieu Repole Reina Leo Makrickas Bychok Radcliffe Baggio Koovakad Battaglia Catholic Church portal

[Portals](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Contents/Portals):
- [Biography](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:Biography)
- [Catholicism](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:Catholicism)
- [Malaysia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:Malaysia)

Authority control databases: National Italy

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