55T walk for Vidal
GOODBYE TO A WELL-LOVED CARDINAL
Iligan City native Erik Cañete, 34, is visually impaired while his wife Levi, 28, has stayed in a wheelchair for some time after losing her legs several years ago.
But neither their physical limitations nor the distance from home prevented them from joining thousands others in paying their final respects to Cebu’s well-loved Archbishop Ricardo Cardinal Vidal yesterday.
Not even the scorching heat of the midday sun could dampen their desire to join the funeral procession as an expression of their gratitude to the late archbishop.
As soon as Vidal’s remains were ushered out of the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral where they had been housed for nine days, the Cañete couple tailed on, Levi serving as her husband’s eyes and Erik as his wife’s feet.
“Dako siya og natabang (He helped us a lot),” Levi told The FREEMAN. “Buotan nga (he was a good) cardinal.”
Levi shared that Vidal donated P300,000 in cash for the medical expenses of their close friend who was battling cancer. Although their friend lost the battle, she said the cardinal’s donation paved the way for their friend’s body to be released from the hospital and be given proper burial.
This was one of the reasons why the couple purposely came to Cebu all the way from Dalanao, Iligan City in Lanao del Norte -- to thank the cardinal for the last time.
Another mourner, Mary Anne Adlawan, 54, broke in tears after she was able to touch for the first and last time the coffin of Vidal as it was led inside the cathedral’s mausoleum where Vidal was laid to rest.
In tears of “great joy,” she recounted how Vidal served as an instrument in nourishing her spirituality.
Adlawan, a mother of eight, had encountered Vidal in a few instances when he mingled with ordinary people, giving advices and offering prayers for them. The simple conversations she had with the late cardinal would prove to have significant impact on her devoutness as a Catholic.
Erik, Levi, and Mary Anne were among the at least 55,000 people who showed up at Vidal’s funeral and braved the blistering weather.
The crowd estimate came from Cebu City Police Office Director Senior Superintendent Joel Doria in consensus with Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office head Nagiel Bañacia.
“Not less than 55,000, but it could be more. Amo lang nang conservative estimate based on the formula nga there are four persons for every one square meter,” Bañacia said.
PROCESSION
Shortly after the Requiem Mass, the remains of the archbishop, who in his heyday was well-known for being a mediator for peace, were placed in a 145-year-old carroza adorned with white flowers around it.
Twelve members of the Couples for Christ sporting Barong Tagalogs carried the late cardinal’s carroza all throughout the procession route that spanned 1.3 kilometers.
Around 200 priests – young and old alike – led Vidal’s carroza, mostly wearing purple colored “sutanas” and, just like many others, were unmindful to the smothering sun’s heat.
The procession started from P. Burgos Street, then on to Osmeña Boulevard, to D. Jakosalem Street, to Colon Street, to Mabini Street, and back to P. Burgos Street.
Thousands followed on Vidal’s casket as it was paraded around downtown Cebu City, but there were also many who lined the streets, some of them shedding tears, waving their hands as if bidding their goodbyes, saying prayers, and others taking selfies with Vidal’s coffin as background.
Religious songs were played along the funeral route with sound systems in place.
HERO, NOT SAINT
Monsignor Joseph Tan, media liaison officer of the Cebu archdiocese, believed yesterday was one of the biggest funerals the country has ever seen.
“I would not know but I suppose. Compared to his predecessor (the late Julio Cardinal Rosales), Vidal’s funeral is more elaborate and bigger,” Tan told reporters yesterday after the burial rites.
“We thank the people, especially those who showed their love, took time to visit (the wake and funeral), and offered their prayers. This should make Cardinal Vidal happier than the ceremony (itself),” he added.
Vidal, a native of Mogpog town in Marinduque, died at the hospital last October 18 due to complications of pneumonia. He was 86.
Vidal served as Cebu archbishop for 29 years before he retired in 2010.
Tan said that from the funeral Mass to the foot procession and burial rites, the proceedings were orderly and cordial while the liturgical flow was simple yet meaningful.
Meanwhile, amid calls seeking for Vidal to be made a saint, Tan rather depicted him as a “local Cebuano hero.”
“I know there have been several calls (to push for a cause) for his canonization. (But) I think for now it is enough for us to recognize that he is like a hero to us Cebuano people,” he said.
Aside from the faithful and clergy of the Cebu archdiocese, some delegations from other parts of the country also travelled to Cebu to participate in the funeral Mass and the burial rites.
Tan said nearly 40 bishops concelebrated the Mass in the presence of the country’s three remaining cardinals: Cotabato Archbishop Orlando Cardinal Quevedo, Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle, and Manila Archbishop Emeritus Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales.
SECURITY SUCCESS
It was a fair Thursday in Cebu City. But the heat, according to Bañacia, also managed to down at least 10 people who joined the procession.
Nevertheless, police said no security-related incidents were recorded during the twohour walk.
CCPO deployed 800 personnel and force multipliers to secure the procession route, with covert cops as additional enforcers.
Because of the droves of people, officials had to implement changes in the security plan. Despite the sudden changes, however, Doria said police were able to adjust accordingly and security measures went unhindered.