Manila Cathedral - Burials and Funerals

Burials and Funerals

The cathedral is the resting place for former prelates who have served the Archdiocese of Manila. Among those interred in the cathedral crypts (similar in style to that of St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City) are:

• Michael J. O'Doherty, the last foreign Archbishop of Manila;
• Gabriel Reyes, the first Filipino Archbishop of Manila;
• Rufino Jiao Santos, the first Filipino Cardinal;
• Jaime L. Cardinal Sin, a prominent leader of the 1986 People Power Revolution.
• Dom Ambrose Agius, a Maltese monsignor who ordained the first Filipino bishop.
  (Only interred until 1945 then transferred to Benedictine church of Our Lady of Monserrat in Mendiola Street, Manila where he lies today).

It also hosted two funerals for two former Presidents of the Philippines:

• Carlos P. Garcia, 8th President of the Philippines (1957–1961);
• Corazon Aquino, 11th President of the Philippines (1986–1992).

The Cathedral was recently used as a venue for the wake and requiem mass for former President of the Philippines Corazon Aquino, who died on August 1, 2009. In an unprecedented move by the Archdiocese of Manila, protocol was not observed in permitting Aquino's remains to lie in state at the Cathedral, making her the first woman to have been permitted to lie in state, as only Archbishops of Manila are accorded this honor. Former president Carlos P. Garcia was the first layperson to lie in state and have a requiem mass at the cathedral.