Masses were offered for the eternal repose of ex-President Corazon Aquino who died of cardio-respiratory arrest at 3:18 a.m. August 1 Saturday (9:18 p.m. Friday Swiss time) at the Makati Medical Center in the Philippines.

Aquino, the first woman president of the Philippines, was catapulted to power after the peaceful "People Power" revolution of 1986 that ousted Philippine strongman Ferdinand Marcos.

That event in Philippine history has become the subject of a number of academic discourses because of its significance in toppling repressive regimes. The bloodless uprising she led inspired non-violent protests across the globe, including those in Eastern Europe that ended Communist rule.

The deeply religious Aquino was married to former Senator Benigno Aquino Jr., a leading figure against the autocratic rule of President Ferdinand Marcos. After the senator was assassinated in 1983, she became a unifying force for the opposition and ran against Marcos in the 1986 "snap presidential election." Amid widespread electoral fraud attributed to the ruling party, Aquino was installed as President after a series of peaceful protests, supported by the Catholic Church in the Philippines, that ended Marcos' 21-year rule.

Masses were offered on behalf of the Philippine Catholic Mission of Switzerland during the regularly scheduled masses at 6:30 p.m. on Saturday August 1 and Sunday August 2 at 10:00 a.m., 11:30 a.m. and at 4:30 p.m. with Fr. Mel Enero at the English-speaking Roman Catholic Parish of Pope John 23rd in Geneva. Additional masses were offered in other parts of Switzerland.