The ceremony was hosted inside the Royal Academy of Fine Arts of San Fernando, in the city of Madrid, and was attended not only by President Sánchez, but also by the Spanish Minister of the Interior, Fernando Grande-Marlaska. Also in attendance were relatives and friends of Fr César Fernández and representatives of "Misiones Salesianas", the Salesian Mission Office of Madrid.
“Fr Antonio César Fernández was a humble man, as he is also remembered by his four brothers, who are here with us today to pay tribute to him,” said President Sánchez. “He made helping others a way of life. When he died, he was 55 years old as a Salesian and 46 as a priest, and he had already left a profound impact on all those who had the honor of knowing him.”
Subsequently, the Grand Cross was presented to Juan Carlos Fernández, one of the brothers of the Salesian missionary, who when he received the award turned a kiss toward heaven, in memory of his deceased brother.
“The victims of terrorism deserve the highest recognition by a democratic society like ours,” reiterated Sánchez. “They are one of the ethical pillars of our democratic system and are a symbol of the defense of our freedoms, our way of living together in democracy, in our rule of law and represent precisely the values that terrorists seek to destroy.”
During the ceremony, in addition to Fr Antonio César Fernández, the award was also presented to other figures, all victims of terrorism: David Beriain, Roberto Fraile, Alberto Chaves, and Juan A. González.
At this link, you can find the video of the award presentation.
