A SEND OFF LIKE NO OTHER

Cebuanos yesterday came out in droves and showed how much they loved Ricardo Cardinal Vidal by giving him a grand and fitting farewell.

At least 55,000 people — five times more than the initial estimate — attended the Requiem Mass at the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral and lined the streets to witness Vidal’s funeral procession, leaving the late prelate’s brother, Juanito, 84, overwhelmed with emotion.

“Ang pamilya ko’y labis na nagpapasalamat sa magandang pagtingin nila sa aking (kapatid). Habang-buhay na aalahanin namin itong pagtingin niyo sa aking kapatid,” said Juanito, the prelate’s last surviving brother, in between sobs.

(Our family is very grateful for the Cebuanos’ love and admiration for my brother. We will always treasure this love for the rest of our lives.)

Cardinal Vidal, while a native of Marinduque, chose to live in Cebu City after he retired in 2011, following three decades of serving as the Archbishop of Cebu. He passed away on October 18. He was 86.

All clad in black, the family and relatives of Vidal gave him emotional last goodbyes during the burial rites at the Cathedral’s mausoleum, which was presided by Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma and attended by bishops from all over the country.

Karen Vidal-Rafanan, Juanito’s daughter who came from the United States for the burial of her uncle, said they were overwhelmed by the number of people who loved Vidal.

“Damang dama po namin ang pagmamahal ninyo. Salamat po sa inyo. Salamat po sa pagmamahal niyo sa aming tiyo. Sa buong sambayanan, sa Cebuanos, maraming-marami pong salamat sa lahat po ng mga bumisita dito po. We are blessed,” said Rafanan.

(We feel your love. Thank you to you all. Thank you for your love for my uncle. To the entire community, the Cebuanos, thank you so much to everyone who visited. We are blessed.)

The funeral procession

For more than an hour, the bells of the Cathedral pealed to bid goodbye to the man who had led his flock in the Cebu Archdiocese for nearly three decades.

Three cardinals, hundreds of priests and members of the laity, as well as family members and his household staff brought Cardinal Vidal to his final resting place at the mausoleum inside the compound of the centuries-old Cathedral in downtown Cebu City.

The police said at least 55,000 people endured the heat of the midmorning sun to watch the funeral procession on the streets along the 1.5-kilometer route that started and ended at the Cathedral.

Only the sakristans (altar boys), bishops, priests and Vidal’s immediate relatives were allowed to join the funeral walk.

The golden coffin of Vidal glinted as it moved in a slow cadence along the streets, with the thousands of spectators turning quiet as the procession passed by them.

The sealed coffin was mounted on top of a 145-year-old carroza decked with flowers arranged by renowned decorator Mike Alvin Pugoy and his team.

It was manually pushed by members of Couples’ for Christ while a human cordon composed of members of the Knights of Columbus stood as guards to maintain the solemnity of the procession.

The death knell, or the tolling of the bell for the dead, continued until shortly before noon when the prelate’s remains were interred at the mausoleum.

His tomb was at the left side of his predecessor, the late Julio Cardinal Rosales.

Outside of the mausoleum, thousands stayed and did not leave until after the burial rites were completed.

Fr. Mhar Vincent Balili, a former secretary of Vidal and a liturgist of the archdiocese, read a biography of the late Cardinal Vidal. It was followed by Palma’s placing of a white cloth on glass cover of the casket right on top of the face of Vidal.

Palma then kissed the casket, followed by the other bishops and Juanito Vidal before it was closed and lowered down to its niche inside the mausoleum.

White flowers were dropped by relatives of Cardinal Vidal, who were weeping as a cover was placed to seal off the niche. The ceremony ended at around 11:45 a.m.

Earlier yesterday, around 5,000 people were already waiting outside the Cathedral when it opened its doors at 7 a.m., two hours before the Requiem Mass at 9 a.m. The number steadily grew until some had to be accommodated outside.

The Mass was officiated by Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma and concelebrated by at least 50 bishops. Among those who attended were the three cardinals of the country: Manila Archbishop Emeritus Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales, Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle, and Cotabato Archbishop Orlando Cardinal Quevedo.

Consummate peacemaker

Auxiliary Bishop Dennis Villarojo, former secretary of Vidal who delivered the homily, said that he had served the prelate for 13 years, but he had never heard him curse.

Villarojo said he could tell that Vidal was already angry when the prelate would say “pambihira (remarkable),” to express his frustration.

Villarojo spoke of the cardinal’s formula for peace: “Ayaw pangaway kang bisan kinsa, kay basin kanang imong gi-away karon mao nay makatabang nimo sa umaabot (Do not pick fights with anyone, because the person that you consider as your enemy today might help you in the future).”

“(The) cardinal was a man who mastered the art of reaching out to those who were in conflict,” said Villarojo.

“I have many more things to say to you, Your Eminence. But I cannot hold you for long. I think you need to rest now. The burdens you carried in this world have worn out your body. Thank you for carrying us all on your shoulders. And sorry for having been too much of a burden,” he added.

Pope Francis’ message extending his sympathy to Vidal’s family was read during the Mass by the Catholic Church’s Apostolic Nuncio to the Philippines, Msgr. Gabriel Viola.

“For his constant advocacy of life and peace, he will always be remembered,” said the pope in his message.

At the end of the Mass, Cardinal Tagle delivered a message where he recalled how he and Vidal fondly called each other “my dear.”

“We have heard many anecdotes about Cardinal Vidal, and his death completes his life and mission,” Tagle said.

The bells then tolled at 10:25 a.m. when the faithful started praying the Litany of the Saints, shortly before the coffin was brought to the carroza for the funeral walk two blocks around the Cathedral. These fell silent only when Vidal’s tomb was covered at 11:42 a.m.

 

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