Cardinal-designate José Advincula to skip Vatican ceremony, cites pandemic

MANILA – Due to the coronavirus pandemic, Cardinal-designate José Advincula of the Archdiocese of Capiz will attend the ceremony at the Vatican for the installation of new cardinals.

In a CBCP News report, Fr. Archdiocese spokesman Emilio Arbatin said the cardinal-elect made the decision as COVID-19 infections in Italy continued to rise, forcing authorities to impose stricter measures in many regions.

The ceremony will take place on November 28.

Arbatin said the 68-year-old archbishop already had a plane ticket reservation “but had to cancel it.”

“The cardinal-designate really would have wanted to go, but this is an extraordinary moment that also needs prudent judgment,” Arbatin said.

The spokesman added that Pope Francis was already informed of Advincula’s decision through Philippine Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, who now has his headquarters in Rome as prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples.

Like Advincula, Brunei’s Cardinal-designate Cornelius Sim will skip the ceremony in Rome.

Traditionally, new cardinals joined their peers in Rome for the consistory, the ceremony in which the new “Princes of the Church” are formally created. Here, they will receive the red cap and the cardinal ring of the Pope.

However, the Code of Canon Law establishes that cardinals are made by decree of the Pope and not through said ceremony.

The archdiocesan spokesman said Advincula was informed by the Apostolic Nunciature in Manila “that he has the option of not going to Rome for the consistory.”

“As of now, the designated cardinal is still waiting for the Vatican’s master of ceremonies, Bishop Guido Marini, to get the details and instructions on how to do the liturgy and the ceremonies related to the delivery of the red hat,” Arbatin said.

Archbishop Guido Marini is the master of papal ceremonies.

In previous cases, when a new cardinal could not attend the consistory, the Pope generally appoints a representative to award the “red hat” to the candidate.

As of this writing, it was not yet known if the other new cardinals would fly to Rome to attend the consistory.

According to the current count from the US-based Johns Hopkins University, Italy has more than 995,000 registered COVID-19 cases in total.

Due to the recent spike in coronavirus infections, the Vatican was forced to again ban the public from attending the Pope’s weekly general audiences. Furthermore, many liturgies presided over by Francis are still held without the public with the participation of select cardinals, bishops and priests.

Several cardinals have contracted COVID-19, including the president of the Italian Episcopal Conference, Cardinal Gualtiero Bassetti, who remains in critical condition. Others have already recovered, including Tagle and Cardinal Angelo De Donatis, who serves as the Pope’s vicar in Rome.

Advincula is one of 13 ecclesiastics from around the world that the Pope has chosen to become new cardinals.

The prelate, who has served as Archbishop of Capiz since 2012, will be the ninth Philippine cardinal.

While there are still four Filipino cardinals alive, only Advincula and Tagle could participate in a potential conclave, as cardinals already in their 80s are no longer eligible.