First Filipino cardinal’s hat found

The “galero” or the tasseled red hat of the first Filipino cardinal, Rufino Santos — the man who led the reconstruction of Manila Cathedral 60 years ago — was recently discovered in a dark corner of the Archdiocesan Museum of Manila’s stock room.

“Perhaps [by] some stroke of divine providence… it was found still [in] its original box with the label of the maker Tanfani and Bertarelli in Rome,” the Manila Cathedral said.

“This is a very timely discovery as we celebrate this year the 60th anniversary of the rebuilding of the Manila Cathedral,” it added.

A galero is a broad-brimmed hat with tasseled strings worn by clergy in the Catholic Church.

To honor Santos and the many people who worked with him in rebuilding the cathedral six decades ago, his galero will be raised to the rafters of the church on Sept. 3.

The ceremonial raising will be preceded by a eucharistic celebration to be presided over by Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle at 6 p.m.

Padre Pinong

More popularly known as Padre Pinong, Santos was installed as Archbishop of Manila in 1953.

He received the red hat from Pope John XXIII in 1960 and became the first Filipino cardinal.

Among the projects he undertook as archbishop was the organization of the Catholic Charities (now known as Caritas Manila), which provided free medical services to the poor, Radio Veritas and the new buildings of San Carlos Seminary and Guadalupe Minor Seminary in Makati City.

He also led the reconstruction of St. Paul Hospital (now Cardinal Santos Medical Center), Pope Pius XII Center, Collegio Filippino in Rome and the reconstruction of the postwar Manila Cathedral.