Archdiocese marks Sin's death anniversary with 5th bust

MANILA, Philippines - After five attempts, the Archdiocese of Manila unveiled a bust of the late Manila Archbishop Jaime Cardinal Sin that looked more like him during the commemoration of his sixth death anniversary yesterday.

Fr. Rufino Sescon Jr., who served as Sin’s private secretary, said this was the fifth time that they changed busts of the late Manila prelate. “This time it is more beautiful and has a closer resemblance,” he said.

The bronze bust was made by Chinese sculptor Jude Shi (his Chinese name Shi Yanmin), who personally delivered it last Monday in time for the observance of Sin’s sixth death anniversary. 

Shi, who is Catholic, said it took him two months to make the statue. The pair of eyeglasses that he made was broken during the travel to Manila and the archdiocese had to temporarily replace it with a real pair owned by the late cardinal.

Sescon, now the chancellor of the Archdiocese, said they previously commissioned local artists to create a bust of the cardinal but they were not completely satisfied. “Of all the statues and busts, this (one made by Shi) had the closest resemblance to the Cardinal. It even gained the approval of the Sin family,” he said.

As to the cost for the new bust, this has not yet been finalized since they would still ask Shi to build a base for the bust.

But he clarified that they will not throw away the other statues, which will be installed in other places are associated with the former prelate: the Cardinal Sin Village in Sta. Ana, Manila; the San Lorenzo Missionary Seminary at the San Carlos Seminary in Makati City since it was founded by Sin; and a museum in Aklan. Sin is a native of New Washington, Aklan.