Jaime Sin

Jaime Cardinal Lachica Sin, OFS, PLH, OS, OL (Chinese: 辛海梅, 辛海棉; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Sin Hái-mûi, Sin Hái-mî; August 31, 1928 – June 21, 2005), commonly and also formally known as Cardinal Sin, was the 30th Catholic Archbishop of Manila and the third cardinal from the Philippines. He was instrumental in the historic and peaceful 1986 People Power Revolution, which toppled the dictatorship and ended martial law under Ferdinand Marcos and installed Corazon Aquino as his successor in the Fifth Republic of the Philippines. He was also a key figure in the 2001 EDSA Revolution that replaced President Joseph Estrada with Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.

Sin was born on August 31, 1928, in New Washington, Aklan (then a part of Capiz), on the island of Panay, to Juan Sin, a merchant of Chinese descent, and Máxima Lachica, an ethnic Aklanon. "Jim", as he was known, was his mother's favorite. As the 14th of 16 children, he was a painfully thin, asthmatic child, who often used to cuddle up between his parents to sleep at night. When he asked his nurse why his mother lavished such attention on him, he was told it was because he was "the weakest and ugliest of the brood".

Sin left his childhood home and his family to study in St. Vincent Ferrer Seminary, and was ordained a priest of the Archdiocese of Jaro on April 3, 1954. He was the first rector of St. Pius X Seminary in Lawaan Hills, Roxas City, Capiz, serving from 1957 to 1967. On February 29, 1960, Sin was named Domestic Prelate (now called honorary prelate, with the title of Monsignor).

Sin was appointed auxiliary bishop of Jaro on February 10, 1967, and was consecrated bishop of the titular see of Obba on March 18 of that year.

On March 15, 1972, Sin was appointed Coadjutor Archbishop of Jaro, taking on administrative roles in the archdiocese, while holding the titular see of Massa Lubrense. On October 8, 1972, Sin was appointed Archbishop of Jaro.

Sin was appointed Archbishop of Manila on January 21, 1974. Initially, he was reluctant to take on the role of leading the Church in the Philippines. He was enthroned as Archbishop at Manila Cathedral on March 19, 1974, making him only the third native Filipino in the office after centuries of Spanish, American, and Irish archbishops.

On May 24, 1976, Pope Paul VI made him a member of the College of Cardinals, creating him Cardinal Priest of the titular church of Santa Maria ai Monti. As is traditional for cardinals, the title "Cardinal" is inserted before his surname when addressed formally. He participated as a cardinal-elector in both the August 1978 and October 1978 papal conclaves which elected Popes John Paul I and John Paul II respectively. In the August conclave, he reportedly told Albino Luciani, "You will be the new pope." After Luciani was elected John Paul I, Cardinal Sin paid him homage, and the new pope said: "You were a prophet, but my reign will be a short one." He remained the youngest member of the College until 1983.

His title and surname as "cardinal sin" (another term for a deadly sin) were a point of humor in the Philippines and for Filipino Catholics. Examples included "The greatest sin of all: Cardinal Sin," and even his own pun of "Welcome to the house of Sin" that he used to greet guests at Villa San Miguel, the secondary archiepiscopal palace in Mandaluyong.