Malolos Bishop Emeritus Cirilo Almario Jr., 85

Malolos Bishop Emeritus Cirilo Almario Jr. passed away last Oct. 14. He was 85.

A report by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) News said Almario collapsed in his room at the convent of the Religious Catechist of Mary in Malolos on Friday. He was rushed to a hospital but was pronounced dead on arrival.

Almario’s remains were brought to Minor Basilica of Our Lady of Immaculate Conception on Monday through a procession and will stay there until the funeral on Wednesday.

Almario was ordained priest on Nov. 30, 1956 in Manila and was appointed Coadjutor bishop of Malolos on Aug. 22, 1973. He was appointed Malolos bishop in 1977 and served for 23 years until his resignation in January 1996.

Almario also served as CBCP secretary general from 1976 and 1981 and chairman of the bishops’ Public Affairs Committee and the Commission on Biblical Apostolate.

He founded the Immaculate Conception Major Seminary in Guiguinto, Bulacan and the Immaculate Conception School for Boys in Malolos.

Almario’s body will be laid to rest at the cathedral crypt close to the tomb of Malolos’ first bishop Manuel del Rosario on Wednesday, after a requiem Mass to be led by incumbent Bishop Jose Oliveros./rga