The Most Beautiful Death Ceremony

Prayer does really work.  That’s what the late President Corazon Cojuanco-Aquino (Tita Cory) showed the world when her prayer for an beautiful death was granted yesterday.  I have never seen such a beautiful requiem mass like the one I saw for the late President Aquino yesterday.  From what I heard such type of ceremony is done for the death of a catholic bishops. The laying of a white cloth over the coffin, the bible and the cross.  I don’t know how they were able to make such a special ceremony for her but with the way people showed their love for her she deserves it.

Everything that was shown yesterday are things you only see in movies, except for the coffin it was like watching Evita but for real.  Imagine the people braced the unpredictable weather and everyone endured the 8 hours pay their last respect for the former President.  Everyone was mourning and yet they are thankful for her existence. It was one of the most chilling moment in Philippine history.

It was not just the mass that was overwhelming but the cortege itself. The number of people who were out in the streets despite the weather was something everyone should put in mind. Especially for the country’s new leaders and aspiring leaders. They should ask this question to themselves, will they ever have such a beautiful death? Will the people pay tribute to them the way the people did for Tita Cory? I hope this serves as a wake-up call for everyone, for the aspiring leaders and for the people out in the streets yesterday. Choose your leaders wisely, guard our vote.

*photos from Arlyn dela Cruz (Thank You!)

Who were the four honor guards at Cory’s funeral convoy that stood motionless on the truck for 9 hours?

They were handpicked from the elite honor guard units of the Philippine Navy, Army, Air Force and National Police, Navy spokesperson Lt. Col. Edgard Arevalo told the Inquirer last night.

They are  Pfc. Antonio Cadiente, Airman 2nd Class Gener Laguindam, Petty Officer 3 Edgardo Rodriguez and Police Officer 1 Danilo Maalab.

“They’re specially trained to undertake such ceremonial duties, specially to bear such difficult task to be immobile,” Arevalo said. He added they were trained even to resist “the call of nature.” (more about this story here)