The late Archbishop Teofilo Bastide Camomot of Cebu was granted the title of Venerable by the Vatican, bringing him closer to becoming a saint, the Archdiocese of Cebu said Saturday.

Pope Francis on the same day authorized Marcello Cardinal Semeraro, Prefect of the Congregation of the Causes of Saints in the Vatican, to promulgate a decree on the heroic virtues of Camomot, the Archdiocese said.

• Archbishop Camomot closer to sainthood

It means the Congregation have affirmed that Camomot, who was born in Carcar, Cebu in 1914 and died in 1988, exercised the theological, cardinal and concomitant virtues to a heroic degree. Being declared “Venerable” is a step behind the title "Blessed" before one becomes a saint in the Catholic church.

Camomot founded the Carmelite Tertiaries of the Blessed Eucharist in Misamis Occidental in November 1959. This would later become the Congregation of Santa Teresa.

He was ordained to the priesthood in 1941, and then nominated Auxiliary Bishop of Archbishop Jose Cuenco of Jaro in 1955. Three years later, he was appointed Coadjutor Archbishop of Archbishop James Hayes of Cagayan de Oro.

He resigned as Coadjutor and returned to Cebu in 1970.

He died in a vehicular accident on Sept. 27, 1988 at the age of 74 years old.

“His dedication to the poor and detachment from material possessions were the trademarks of his ministry,” the Archdiocese of Cebu said of Camomot.

Camomot’s process for beatification and canonization was opened for the first time in the Archdiocese of Cebu in 2010 during the incumbency of Ricardo Cardinal Vidal.

Forty-five witnesses who knew him personally were interviewed for this process.

The “Positio” on the life, virtues and fame of sanctity of Archbishop Camomot was submitted to the Congregation in 2020.

• Archbishop Camomot's remains to be transferred to Cebu museum

“He then needs one miracle to be declared as a blessed, then another miracle for canonization,” said Rev. Fr. Mhar Balili who is the Vice Postulator of the Process of Canonization Archbishop Camomot.

Two Filipinos have already been declared saints: San Lorenzo Ruiz and San Pedro Calungsod.

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- report from Annie Perez

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