+ Roman Villano y Carillo
1883 - 1963
Members of Villano-Nilay clan pose before the remains of Roman Villano. Roman is my maternal great-grandfather. The Libro de Casamientos of Parroquia de Meycauayan which contains records of his wedding in 1904 narrates that he was the son of +Mariano Villano and +Bonifacia Carillo, residents of Licod. He was married to +Teresa Nilay y Bersosa, daughter of +Felix Nilay and +Maria Bersosa of Longos. She is the old woman standing at back of the casket with a hand on her cheek. Roman and Teresa were the parents of +Emiliano (right of Teresa) who is my nanay's father. Standing next to him in mournful stature is +Leoncia or Tia Nene, his spinster sister.
Emiliano is married to +Antonia Talusig y Magkasi, the woman seen here with a child. The child happens to be my mother, Valentina who in this picture was just barely one year old. On her left is +Flaviano or Diko Nano, Ninang Elisa's husband. At the foot of Diko Nano were his cousins Tita Nene and Tita Flerrie. Next to them are brothers +Restituto and Tito Gerardo. +Severino or Boyet is siting next to the their cousins Vita and Dina. On his left is Epifanio Jr., Vita and Dina's elder brother. +Numeriano, Emiliano and Antonia's eldest son is standing at the back of Teresa while Corazon (eldest daughter) is on her left.
Photographs like this served as keepsakes to remember the deceased. Morbid to some as it may seem as earlier samples of recuerdos de patay photographs even show the actual remains posed for posterity, these give us a sense of value on how we Filipinos treat and respect our dead.
℣. Requiem æternam dona eis, Domine
℟. Et lux perpetua luceat eis:
℣. Requiescant in pace.
℟. Amen.
2 November, 2019
Marilao, Bulacan
