THE remains of the late Bishop Teofilo Camomot will be exhumed and transferred to his museum, the Domus Teofilo (House of Teofilo) in Valladolid, Carcar City in southern Cebu.
Fr. Mhar Balili and Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma said that the purpose of the exhumation and transfer of the remains of Bishop Camomot is to give devotees enough area to pray and to give more privacy to the Daughters of St. Therese (DST) sisters, especially in their life of prayer.
The current location of Camomot’s tomb is near the DST sisters convent.
Aside from transferring the remains of Bishop Camomot, Fr. Balili, the vice postulator of the cause for the sainthood of Camomot, said, that they also asked an anthropologist from Manila, a forensic expert, Dr. Erwin Erfe, to examine the remains of Camomot, its status and state.
Balili said that they also would want to know the height of Camomot through the examination.
The exhumation and examination will be closed to the public, only the Archdiocese consultors, DST sisters’ consultors, Fr. Samson Silloriquez, the postulator, Archbishop Palma, Fr. Balili, and some of the family members of Camomot will be allowed to be present.
Dr. Erfe will bring five persons that will help him in the examination that will last for eight hours.
A Mass will be celebrated before the exhumation at 9 a.m. They estimated the exhumation and examination to be done by 5 p.m. They will then transfer the remains from his wood coffin to a metal casket.
A procession will then follow that will bring the remains from the current tomb to the museum, where an interment will be made.
Balili said, that Camomot’s new tomb, will only be covered by a glass on its top, therefore the casket will be seen by anyone who will visit the museum.
The casket will be covered by a palm cloth.
Balili said that the exhumation has an approval from Rome, the order of the Canonization of Saints.
He also said that they would also get a part of Camomot’s remains, to be used as relics, in case Camomot would be declared as saint someday.
After Camomot’s remains will be transferred to the Domus Teofilo, an overnight vigil will be done, while a public viewing will also be on going until the next day, January 4.
Bishop Palma expressed his happiness that every day, devotees of Camomot is increasing, which means a lot is also praying for the cause of his sainthood.
“Nalipay ko, every passing day nagkakusog ang atong excitement alang sa sainthood ni Bishop Camomot, bisan man lang gani nga mahimo lang sa siya nga blessed. We are already thankful nga paspas ang approval sa Diocesan process, which only lasted for 7 months,” Palma told reporters during a press conference yesterday, in the Archbishop residences.