Funeral Denied for 1981 Coup Officer — Allowed for Homosexual Officer
No Canonical Explanation
Monsignor Aznárez Cobo personally informed Tejero’s family that the funeral scheduled for 25 March would not be permitted in the cathedral.
In a statement issued through their lawyer, the family expressed "deep sorrow and perplexity," noting that no canonical explanation had been provided for the decision.
They emphasised that Catholic funerals are not judgments on a person’s life, but rather prayers for the soul of the deceased and a source of consolation for those who mourn.
The Figure of Antonio Tejero
As a lieutenant colonel, Tejero led the armed seizure of the Spanish parliament during the 1981 Spanish coup attempt. He supported the Francoist system.
However, the coup collapsed following a televised address by King Juan Carlos I, after which Tejero was convicted and imprisoned for his part in it.
Pro-Homosexual Funeral Allowed in Same Cathedral
The controversy has intensified because another high-profile funeral took place in the same cathedral months earlier.
In August 2025, a funeral Mass was celebrated there for Lieutenant Colonel José María Sánchez Silva. He declared himself a homosexual and became a homosexual activist within the military.
His funeral in the military cathedral was not a quiet private service. The ceremony attracted significant media attention and was attended by figures associated with homosexual activism.
During the tributes, Sánchez Silva’s life was presented not only in military terms but also as a symbol of homosexual activism.
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