THE 10-hour exhumation of the late Archbishop Teofilo Camomot concluded yesterday with a procession of the late bishop’s wax effigy, now on display in a museum in Barangay Valladolid, Carcar City dedicated to his honor.
Fr. Samson Selloriquez, main postulator for Camomot’s cause for sainthood, told reporters that Dr. Erwin Erfe and his team of forensic experts successfully examined the late bishop’s remains.
Selloriquez said experts found traces of cracks on Camomot’s skull, which were apparent injuries he incurred during the vehicular accident that claimed his life in September 1988.
As all that remains of Camomot’s body are just bones, Selloriquez and the forensic team kept these, except for the skull, and cleaned them.
They were then preserved with varnish and placed in separate urns.
The skull of the late Archbishop was placed within the head of the wax effigy and the rest of his bones were also kept inside, Selloriquez said.
Selloriquez and the forensic team extracted a part of the remains that will serve as tangible relics. These will be used should the process for Camomot’s beatification and sainthood continue, Selloriquez said.
The wax effigy used to keep Camomot’s remains was made by Farley Almedilla Meredores, a sculptor based in Bohol.
The image, which featured the likeness of a sleeping Camomot, was clothed with the late archbishop’s vestments.
Selloriquez said that only Camomot’s shoes were new.
At 8 p.m., the image, which was encased in glass, was then paraded around the Daughters of St. Therese (DST) Mother House compound in Valladolid before it was placed in its new resting place, the Domus Teofilo.
Visit
The Domus, located behind the DST Mother House compound, is a museum dedicated to Camomot.
Public viewing started at 8:30 p.m. and will end at 4 p.m. tomorrow.
Fr. Mhar Vincent Balili, vice postulator for Camomot’s cause, said that before the exhumation, a mass, presided by Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma, was held at the late bishop’s resting place.
The DST Mother House compound was closed during the process and was heavily guarded by the local police, led by Carcar City Police Station chief Supt. Gregorio Galsim, from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. yesterday. More than 100 policemen, tanods and civilian auxiliary groups were deployed to secure the venue.
As of 8 p.m., around 1,800 devotees visited the museum. Maria Demetrio, 51, a resident of Paranaque City, Manila, said she came to Cebu just to visit Camomot’s shrine. (JKV)