Remembering Ambassador Jesús Silva
A memorial mass for the life of Spain’s late ambassador to Jamaica Jesús Silva Fernández was held Tuesday, December 2 at the Cathedral of the Most Holy Trinity, George Headley Drive, Kingston.
The venue was a fitting tribute to the diplomat who spearheaded a project that uncovered and repaired the mosaic inside the centuries-old cathedral.
The project was implemented under a partnership with NCB Foundation; Thalia Lyn; Chris Issa; William Mahfood; Digicel Foundation; the Culture, Health, Arts, Sports and Education (CHASE) Fund; local architects, artisans, residents of the community; students from Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts, and the Jamaica National Heritage Trust to uncover and repair the mosaic inside the centuries-old cathedral.
Leading the memorial mass for the life of the former diplomat was Archbishop of Kingston Kenneth Richards with concelebrants Archbishop Emeritus Charles Dufour and priests of the archdiocese.
Deacon Christopher J Gooden served as master of ceremonies, with cantor Kevin Williams and organist David Stone.
The repast, held at the Chancery, afforded a few guests the opportunity to reflect on Silva’s work. Heartfelt tributes came from current ambassador of Spain José María Fernandez Lopez de Turiso; Allan Beckford, representing Olivia Grange, minister of culture, gender, entertainment, and sport; Thalia Lyn for the NCB Foundation; and Myrtle Dwyer, honorary consul for Spain in Montego Bay.
Silva, who served in Jamaica from 2005 to 2010, died on October 5, 2025 in Guadalajara, Mexico, after suffering a stroke.
Archbishop of Jamaica Most Reverend Kenneth Richards points to the mosaic inside the Cathedral of the Most Holy Trinity, which was uncovered due to a project implemented by Spain’s former ambassador of Jamaica Jesús Silva, during a mass in his memory on Tuesday. The mosaic is being admired by Elena de la Puente, wife of the current ambassador of Spain, and Jose Antonio Cabedo Espinosa, ambassador of Chile.
Businesswoman Thalia Lyn signs the condolence book during a memorial mass for former Spanish ambassador to Jamaica Jesús Silva at the Cathedral of the Most Holy Trinity on Tuesday.
