Faithful take home some of flowers at Vidal’s wake
More than 100 funeral wreaths and flower arrangements were left behind at the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral after the burial of the late Cebu Archbishop Emeritus Ricardo Cardinal Vidal.
Officials of the Cathedral said that while they plan to reuse some of the flowers, they allowed those who attended the burial rites yesterday to bring home some of them.
Msgr. Ruben Labajo, the Cathedral’s team moderator, said they counted around 149 funeral wreaths and flower arrangements sent to the wake since it started last week.
The flowers were from politicians, prominent figures, organizations, institutions and families who have been benefactors of the Archdiocese of Cebu for years.
Some of the more prominent figures who sent flowers were President Rodrigo Duterte and former Presidents Benigno Aquino III, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and Joseph “Erap” Estrada.
Other prominent figures who sent flowers included Vice President Leni Robredo, Presidential Assistant for the Visayas Michael Dino, PNP Chief Gen. Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa, former Senators Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. and Jinggoy Estrada, among others.
Prices for funeral wreaths and sympathy flower arrangements vary depending on the flower shop.
Alex’s Flowers, a flower shop in Cebu, sells sympathy flower arrangements at P3,000 to P5,000.
A representative of the flower shop confirmed two institutions hired them to provide sympathy flower arrangements to Vidal’s wake.
Labajo said even those with lower income donated flowers.
But after Vidal’s burial yesterday, some of those who attended the rites started dismantling some of the flower arrangements and wreaths. He said he has no problem with it.
“Those flowers were freely given and the Cardinal accepted them. We are okay if they take the flowers as a way to remember the activity. Malipay sad mi kay wala nay sagbot nga among hi- poson (At least they do the cleaning for us),” Labajo said.
Labajo said they plan to whatever fresh flowers that remain to decorate some parts of the Cathedral, particularly the altar and retablos.
The wood that hold the flowers and wreaths can be used for other purposes at the Cathedral, Labajo said.
The money donated for Vidal’s wake will be given to the St. John Paul II Home for Aging Priests.
Labajo said the facility is for elderly priests who have nowhere to go or have no next of kin.
Labajo said they still have to how much is the total donation for Vidal’s wake./