Cardinal Advincula dons 'red hat'

Cardinal Jose Advincula received on Friday the symbols of his office and the appointment papers through a ceremony held at the Capiz Cathedral that was livestreamed via the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) social media accounts.

Advincula was among the 13 cardinals from eight countries appointed by Pope Francis last October 2020.

The bestowal ceremony had to be rescheduled a couple of times due to pandemic-related issues, including a surge in COVID-19 cases in Roxas City and when Archbishop Brown had to undergo a 14-day quarantine after arriving from a trip to the US.

The representative of Pope Francis in the Philippines, Apostolic Nuncio Archbishop Charles John Brown, led the ceremony that was attended by local government and church officials wearing face masks, face shields and observing physical distancing.

Advincula was given a red skull cap and the red hat "as a sign of the dignity of the cardinalate, signifying your readiness to act with courage even to the shedding of your blood for the increase of the Christian faith, for the peace and tranquility of the people of God and for the freedom and growth of Holy Roman Church."

He was also given a ring and appointment letter.

Advincula, according to the CBCP, is the ninth Filipino cardinal.

Two cardinals have retired, having reached the mandatory age of 75 and as of this writing are no longer eligible for conclave. These are Archbishop-Emeritus of Cotabato Orlando Quevedo and Archbishop-Emeritus of Manila Gaudencio Rosales.

Cardinal Jose Sanchez, who passed away in March 2012, was Prefect Emeritus of the Congregation for the Clergy.

Cardinal Julio Rosales was Archbishop of Cebu when he died in June 1983. He was replaced by Cardinal Ricardo Vidal, who died last October 2017.

Cardinal Rufino Santos was Archbishop of Manila and his successor was Cardinal Jaime Sin who died in June 2005.

Only Advincula and Tagle remain active with work for the Holy See and are eligible to enter a conclave to elect the successor of Pope Francis and to be elected as pope themselves.

Advincula is a member of the Congregation for the Clergy while Tagle is prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples or Propaganda Fide, a member of the Congregation for the Eastern Churches, and a member of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue and the Administration of the Patrimony of the Apostolic See.

The Capiz-born prelate was also appointed as the 33rd Archbishop of Manila and will assume office after a separate installation ceremony that will be held at the Manila Cathedral on June 24.

Advincula was born in Dumalig, Capiz and was ordained priest in 1976. He finished Theology and Canon Law at the University of Santo Tomas.

A former seminary formator, Advincula was appointed bishop of San Carlos in Negros Occidental in 2001 and was transferred to Capiz as archbishop 10 years after. —BAP/KG, GMA News