The controversy surrounding the funeral Mass for the soul of Antonio Tejero Molina continues to grow. After the statement disseminated by the family on the morning of March 5 denouncing the refusal to hold the Mass in the Castrense Cathedral, the Military Archbishopric of Spain published an official note that night to justify its decision.
According to what this medium has learned, the situation has worsened throughout the day. Up to eight churches would have rejected hosting the funeral Mass. Finally, a temple would have agreed to hold it, but imposing unusual conditions: that neither the Spanish anthem nor that of the Civil Guard be played, and that there be a prior review of the sermon. This is a form of prior censorship that is hardly compatible with the Church’s own freedom and with the very nature of a liturgical celebration.
The note disseminated by the Military Archbishopric is dated in Málaga on March 5, 2026, and aims to respond to the family’s statement. It states that the request to hold the Mass on March 25 in the Castrense Cathedral was not consulted with either the rector of the temple or the Archbishopric itself. It also adds that the archbishop met the previous day with a family member to inform him of this situation and propose alternatives in other Madrid parishes.
The central argument of the statement is that holding the Mass in the Castrense Cathedral could generate “connotations alien to the strict religious meaning.” In other words, the decision is justified by the fear of the public or political interpretation that the celebration might provoke, a scandalous explanation when what is at stake is the celebration of a Mass for the soul of a deceased person.
This is the full statement disseminated by the Military Archbishopric of Spain:
NOTE FROM THE MILITARY ARCHBISHOPRIC OF SPAIN
Málaga, March 5, 2026
With the aim of clarifying some information contained in the statement of the family of Don Antonio Tejero Molina, made public today, this Archbishopric states:
The request for the celebration of Don Antonio’s funeral on March 25 in the Castrense Cathedral was not consulted with its Rector nor with the Archbishopric.
Yesterday, the Archbishop met with a member of Don Antonio’s family to discuss this fact and to propose alternatives in other Madrid parishes.
The main reason for this decision was the risk, undesired by Don Antonio’s family, of giving a Mass for his eternal rest officiated in the Castrense Cathedral connotations alien to the strict religious meaning of said celebration.