By Vatican News staff writer 

Having learned “with sadness” of the death of Cardinal Anthony Soter Fernandez, Pope Francis expresses his “heartfelt condolences” in a letter to Archbishop Julian Leow Beng Kim, the Archbishop of Kuala Lumpur, and to the “clergy, religious and laity of the Archdiocese of Kuala Lumpur.” 

In his letter, the Pope prays for the Cardinal’s “eternal rest”, expressing his gratitude for his “faithful witness to the Gospel, his generous service to the Church in Malaysia and his longstanding commitment to the promotion of ecumenism and interreligious dialogue.”

Finally, the Pope writes that “to all who mourn the late Cardinal’s passing in the sure hope of the Resurrection I cordially impart my Apostolic Blessing as a pledge of consolation and peace in Jesus Christ our Saviour.”