The former first lady of the Philippines Imelda Marcos celebrated her 85th birthday today by paying a solemn visit to the body of her husband. Mrs Marcos visited the crypt of former president Ferdinand Marcos in Ilocos Norte in the north of the country and even kissed the glass coffin where his body lays in a white jacket, ceremonial sash and polished medals.
The former leader of the Philippines has remained unburied since his death in 1989 and has lay in a temperature-controlled mausoleum since 1993. And Mrs Marcos remarked that her birthday wish would be for her husband to receive a hero’s burial, however this has continually been rejected by the country’s government. As well as visiting the body of her husband, Mrs Marcos, who is now a Congress Representative in the Philippines, attended mass with her son, Ferdinand Jr who is a senator and her governor daughter Imee Marcos.
During the service she sang with a priest and was also presented with a crown made of flowers, which is a traditional birthday ritual.
