Cebuano Archbishop Teofilo Camomot, a candidate to sainthood, has received the green light to be declared “Venerable,” the first major step towards canonization.
This after a Vatican theological commission on Wednesday recognized Camomot as having displayed “heroic virtues." Citing the Cebu archdiocese, CBCP News said the special body at the Congregation for the Causes of Saints in Rome gave a “unanimous affirmative vote” that Camomot lived according to Catholic principles.
The cause to declare him a saint will now be examined by the congregation’s commission of bishops and cardinals before submitting it to Pope Francis for approval.
“Upon completion of their study, the cause will be presented to the Holy Father for his approval,” CBCP News quoted the Cebu archdiocese's brief statement.
It will now be up to the pope to declare him Venerable.
The archdiocese described the new development as “an important day” for canonization process of the archbishop.
Once declared venerable, the next step is beatification, which requires documentation of miracles attributed to Camomot. A second miracle would be needed for canonization.
Camomot was born on March 3, 1914 and was ordained priest of the Archdiocese of Cebu. He was made Auxiliary Bishop of Jaro on March 23, 1955. Three years after, he was named Titular Archbishop of Marcianopolis and Coadjutor Archbishop of Cagayan de Oro.
The archbishop is respected for his simple lifestyle and love for the poor and also reputed to possess spiritual gifts of healing, reading hearts, bilocation and levitation. He founded the Daughters of St. Theresa in 1960.
Camomot died in a car accident on September 27, 1988. 21 years after his death, his body was found incorrupt at its exhumation.
The late archbishop’s Cause for Beatification and Canonization was introduced by the Archdiocese of Cebu and the “Nihil Obstat” was issued by the CCS on August 20, 2010.
The diocesan inquiry was closed on March 2, 2017 and the documents were submitted to the CCS immediately after.