Remains of PH’s 5th cardinal Sanchez arrive in his hometown Catanduanes

BURIAL OF A CARDINAL In this 2012 file photo, Catholic cardinals, bishops and priests are shown attending the burial rites for Jose Tomas Cardinal Sanchez at Good Shepherd Cathedral in Novaliches, Quezon City. Sanchez was the Philippines’ fifth cardinal. INQUIRER file photo / MARIANNE BERMUDEZ

VIRAC, Catanduanes—The remains of Cardinal Jose Thomas Sanchez, the 5th Filipino cardinal, finally arrived in his hometown in Catanduanes province on Thursday, March 16, a day before his reinterment at the Diocese of Virac.

The MV Regina ferry boat arrived with Cardinal Sanchez’s remains at the port of San Andres town at around 4:50 p.m. Priests from the Diocese of Virac, Bishop Antonio Tobias, and a group of sisters from the Diocese of Novaliches, accompanied the late cardinal’s remains going to Catanduanes.

The remains of Sanchez were exhumed from the crypt of Novaliches Cathedral in Quezon City on Wednesday (March 15).

It was welcomed by the arrival of honors from the Diocese of Virac led by Bishop Manolo Alarkon De Los Santos and witnessed by the late cardinal’s family.

A motorcade will transfer the remains from San Andres to the Immaculate Conception Cathedral in Virac town, where the reinterment rites will be held on Friday, March 17.

Sanchez is a native of Pandan town in Catanduanes.

In 1946, he was ordained priest for the Diocese of Sorsogon. He was bishop in 1968 and became the fifth Filipino cardinal in 1991.

Sanchez died on March 9, 2012, due to multiple organ failure, eight days before his 92nd birthday. Jona Mae Camacho, contributor

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