Cardinal Jose Advincula, the new archbishop of Manila, will formally receive his “red hat” in a ceremony to be held at the Immaculate Conception Metropolitan Cathedral in Roxas City on May 28.
The ceremony will be led by Archbishop Charles Brown, apostolic nuncio to the Philippines, who will also bestow the cardinal’s ring on the prelate.
Father Emilio Arbatin, spokesperson of the Archdiocese of Capiz, said only about 300 people will be allowed inside the cathedral during the celebration due to the prevailing COVID-19 pandemic.
Attendance will only be limited to the cardinal’s immediate family, some bishops, priests, and a representative from each of the archdiocese’s 67 parishes and mission stations.
In October, Pope Francis announced the 13 new additions to the College of Cardinals, two of whom are from Asia — Cardinal Advincula and Cardinal Cornelius Sim of Brunei.
Due to the pandemic, Cardinals Advincula and Sim did not make it to Rome to receive their red hat during the consistory in November.
Cardinal Advincula, 69, is the country’s ninth cardinal, following Cardinals Orlando Quevedo, Luis Antonio Tagle, Gaudencio Rosales, Jose Sanchez, Ricardo Vidal, Jaime Sin, Julio Rosales and Rufino Santos.
On March 25, Pope Francis appointed the cardinal as Manila archbishop, succeeding Cardinal Tagle, who now heads the Vatican’s Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples.
The archdiocese has yet to officially announce the date of Cardinal Advincula’s installation as the 33rd archbishop of Manila.
