Vidal, PH’s oldest cardinal, dies at 86
Philippines’ oldest cardinal, Ricardo Vidal, died at the age of 86 on Oct. 18.
The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) said Cebu Archdiocese’s spokesman Msgr. Joseph Tan confirmed that Cardinal Vidal died on Wednesday at 7:26 a.m. “due to infection leading to septic shock.”
This was a week after Cardinal Vidal was admitted at the Perpetual Succour Hospital in Cebu last Oct. 11.
Cardinal Vidal was the former Catholic Archbishop of Cebu who served in the Archdiocese for 29 years from 1982 to 2011.
His Eminence Ricardo J. Cardinal Vidal, D.D. Photo by CBCPNews
Catholic officials mourn Vidal’s death
Pope Francis extended his condolence to the Archdiocese of Cebu and said he was “deeply saddened” to Cardinal Vidal’s death in a letter to Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma, said the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP).
“I extend my sincere condolences to you, and to the clergy religious and lay faithful of the Archdiocese of Cebu,” the pontiff said.
Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle, D.D., also extended his sorrow to Cardinal Vidal’s death.
“The Archdiocese of Manila is united with the whole Church especially the Archdiocese of Cebu in sorrow at the death of our beloved Cardinal Ricardo Vidal’s presence,” Tagle said.
Socrates Villegas, Lingayen-Dagupan archbishop, said Cardinal Vidal’s wisdom and teachings must live on to those left behind.
“His wisdom and his humility, his love for priests and his devotion to the Virgin Mary must live on in us whom he has left behind,” Villegas said in a Facebook post.
Orlando Beltran Quevedo, OMI, D.D., archbishop of Cotabato, praised Cardinal Vidal for his outstanding character that will serve as his legacy.
"For me his legacy is his own outstanding character,” Quevedo said.