Universidad Católica de Murcia San Antonio has fulfilled one of the last wishes of its founder, José Luis Mendoza, with the donation of an image of Saint Francis of Assisi to the military church of Santo Domingo, in Cartagena. The work, created by the Malaga sculptor and image-maker Juan Vega, was paid for by the promoter of the university months before his death, due to the mystical significance it represented for him. The image embraces the cross as a symbol of the deep devotion and spiritual connection he felt towards the work of Christ.

The ceremony, held last night, began with a Holy Mass, presided over by the Military Chaplain, Francisco Martínez, who expressed his gratitude on behalf of the parish for the work of José Luis: ‘He was a gift from God to the Church, he lived his faith as a path of conversion and unequalled holiness’. At the end of the ceremony, María Dolores García, UCAM's President, was in charge of unveiling the image: ‘José Luis has always been linked to Cartagena and was involved in all projects related to religious traditions.’ Vega, the author of the carving, has been working on it since 2023 with the aim of representing in Saint Francis of Assisi the deep veneration that José Luis professed.

The event concluded with the blessing of the sculpture that will soon be placed next to the image of the Virgen del Carmen, reinforcing the commitment of the university institution to the cultural heritage of Cartagena. During the ceremony, the image of Saint John of Nepomuk, patron saint of the Marines, was also presented and blessed.

The ceremony was also attended by a large number of military personnel, including the Chief Admiral of the Cartagena Arsenal, Alejandro Cuerda, and the Admiral of Maritime Action, Victoriano Gilabert. On behalf of the UCAM, in addition to its president, Vicente Mendoza, General Director and Assistant to the President of the University, Miriam Mendoza, Coordinator of the Cartagena Campus, and other executives of the institution attended the ceremony.