DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 15 January) – The remains of Davao Archbishop Emeritus Fernando Capalla were laid to rest at the San Pedro Cathedral crypt in this city noontime Monday, January 15.
Among those who officiated the funeral Mass at the jampacked cathedral were Mindanao’s lone Cardinal, Orlando B. Quevedo, OMI, Cardinal Jose Advincula of Manila, Davao Archbishop Romulo Valles, and 14 other prelates.
The burial ceremony started at 10 a.m. and ended at 1 p.m. Capalla’s remains were placed inside the crypt at 12:20 p.m.
The late archbishop’s sister, Elisea Capalla, who was with the prelate until his last breath, mentioned in her eulogy how Capalla lived in prayer, charity, and service.
“I didn’t shed a tear because I was happy, as he was smiling when he died. I told him three things: we will be okay and don’t worry, thank you for all that you’ve done to us, and sorry for all the things I have done that had hurt you,” Elisea said.
Valles expressed his gratitude to those who were present during the funeral mass.
“We are eternally grateful to those who helped and assisted us in the many concerns relative to the wake and the funeral we have today. In short, we can say that Bishop Nanding had become truly a family to us, and we feel that we’re family to him,” Valles said.
Capalla, 89, served the Archdiocese of Davao for at least 15 years, and was a known peace advocate in Mindanao. He died shortly before 2 a.m. on January 6 in his residence at the regional seminary.
Capalla was the Auxiliary Bishop of Davao from 1975 to 1977 and the Bishop of Iligan from 1977 to 1994. He returned to Davao City as Bishop coadjutor from 1994 to 1996, and was the Archbishop of Davao from 1996 until Valles took over in 2012.
Interment rites for Capalla followed at the Dormitium de San Pedro, a columbarium and ossuarium located underground, beneath the San Pedro Cathedral’s main altar.
He was the second Mindanao bishop who was buried this month, following Pagadian Bishop Ronald “Bong” Lunas, who died last January 2.
Former President Rodrigo Duterte, Senator Christopher “Bong” Go, and Senator Ronald dela Rosa were among those who attended the funeral rites. (Maimona Wanda Lao / MindaNews contributor)
