‘Iglesia’ leader is laid to rest in Temple

MANILA – Bishop Eraño “Ka Erdy” Manalo, the executive minister of Iglesia ni Cristo, was laid to rest at noon of Sept. 5 at the Tabernacle of the INC complex in Barangay Culiat, Quezon City, amid cries of sorrow and gloomy weather.
An estimated 200,000 INC members, friends and acquaintances of the late INC bishop attended the funeral rites. Some reports said the crowd was around 2 million.
A three-hour mass that started at 8 a.m., was preceded by the interment rites held the INC Central Temple along Commonwealth Avenue, Diliman, Quezon City.
Manalo, 84, died Aug 31.
Among those present at the burial rites were President Arroyo, Vice President Noli de Castro, former President Joseph Estrada, his wife former Sen. Luisa “Loi” Ejercito, their son Sen. Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada, former First Lady Imelda Marcos and her son, Ilocos Norte Rep. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos.
Arroyo, accompanied by Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo and presidential son Rep. Juan Miguel “Mikey” Arroyo, viewed the remains of Ka Erdy at the start of the interment rites inside the Sanctuario at the INC Central Office Complex on Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City.
The President, together with the Manalo family, relatives and some 500 INC officials, had a few minutes of silence and contemplation at the start of the solemn interment rites for the late supreme leader.
The funeral cortege was escorted by top INC officials, close relatives and student cadets of the INC’s New Era University (NEU).
Manalo was laid to rest in a big white tomb adorned with white roses at the INC’s basement, a temporary burial site while a mausoleum is being constructed beside the monument of his father, INC founder Felix Manalo.
Before the interment, Manalo’s casket was draped with an INC flag and was carried by eight black banded barong-clad INC ministers.
Outside the temple, honor guards gave a gun salute while the funeral was taking place.
This is the first time that such an outpouring of respect and grief of about 2 million people for an INC bishop has been witnessed in this country. No Catholic bishop or archbishop in this country was given such a send-off from at least 2 million people.
Media coverage was limited at the funeral venue as indicated in a media guideline released by the INC officials over the weekend. A dress code was also implemented. Members of the press were asked to be at the venue by 8 a.m.
It required only one reporter, one videographer and one assistant per television station; one reporter per radio station; and one reporter and a photojournalist per newspaper or wire service agency.
Movements of television news cameramen and photojournalists were also limited during the funeral mass and at interment venue. News reporters were also asked to stay in one place unless told by organizers.
Quezon City police director Chief Superintendent Elmo San Diego said he deployed about 500 of his men, and additional community volunteers. The National Capital Region Police Office also sent about 100 policemen.
The Chief Executive, accompanied by Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo and presidential son Rep. Juan Miguel ‘Mikey’ Arroyo, viewed the remains of Ka Erdy at the start of the interment rites inside the Sanctuario at the INC Central Office Complex on Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City.
Arroyo had declared Sept. 7 as a non-working, national day of mourning for Manalo, who contributed much to nation-building.

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