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Roman Catholic Diocese of Baguio

Coordinates: 16°24′46″N 120°35′53″E / 16.4128°N 120.5980°E / 16.4128; 120.5980
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Diocese of Baguio

Dioecesis Baghiopolitana

Diocesis ti Baguio
Diosesis ng Baguio
Diócesis de Baguio
Catholic
Baguio Cathedral
Coat of arms of the Diocese of Baguio
Coat of arms
Location
CountryPhilippines
Territory
Ecclesiastical provinceNueva Segovia
MetropolitanNueva Segovia
Statistics
Area2,655 km2 (1,025 sq mi)
Population
  • Total
  • Catholics
  • (as of 2021)
  • 818,000
  • 594,000[1] (72.6%)
Parishes34
Information
DenominationCatholic Church
Sui iuris churchLatin Church
RiteRoman Rite
EstablishedJuly 6, 1992 (Apostolic Vicariate)
June 24, 2004 (Diocese)
CathedralOur Lady of the Atonement Cathedral
Patron saintOur Lady of the Atonement
Secular priests58
Current leadership
PopeLeo XIV
BishopRafael T. Cruz
Metropolitan ArchbishopMarlo Peralta
Vicar GeneralRoland P. Buyagan
Bishops emeritusVictor Bendico

The Diocese of Baguio (Latin: Dioecesis Baghiopolitana) is a Latin Church of the Catholic Church in the Philippines comprising the city of Baguio and the province of Benguet on Luzon island in the Philippines. Its see is the Our Lady of Atonement Cathedral.

It was erected to a diocese in 2004 as a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Nueva Segovia. It is currently headed by the Most Rev. Rafael T. Cruz, the third Bishop of Baguio, succeeding Victor Barnuevo Bendico, who was appointed Archbishop of Capiz.

History

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The Coat of Arms of the then-Apostolic Vicariate of Mountain Province (Montañosa)

The diocese is one of the oldest ecclesiastical territories in the Philippines. It was established as the Apostolic Prefecture of Mountain Provinces (Latin: Praefectura Apostolica Montana) on July 15, 1932.[2] The territory that the Diocese of Baguio now spans was split from the Archbishop of Nueva Segovia.

On June 10, 1948, the apostolic prefecture was elevated to the Apostolic Vicariate of Mountain Provinces (Montañosa), entitling it to a titular bishop.[3] The apostolic vicariate received a papal visit from John Paul II in February 1981.

On July 26, 1992, the apostolic vicariate was renamed the Apostolic Vicariate of Baguio, after ceding territories to form the Apostolic Vicariate of Bontoc-Lagawe and the Apostolic Vicariate of Tabuk.

On June 24, 2004, the apostolic vicariate was elevated into the Diocese of Baguio, losing its missionary pre-diocesan status and becoming a suffragan of Archdiocese of Nueva Segovia.

On June 20, 2024, Rafael Tambao-An Cruz was announced as the next bishop, replacing then Bishop Victor Barnuevo Bendico, who was elevated as Archbishop of Capiz in May 2023. He was ordained on September 7 at Dagupan Cathedral by Archbishop Socrates Villegas of Lingayen-Dagupan as principal consecrator, with Archbishop Victor Barnuevo Bendico of Capiz and Bishop Jesse Mercado of Parañaque as co-consecrators.[4] His installation took place on September 17, 2024, led by Archbishop Charles John Brown and Jose Cardinal Advincula of Manila at the Baguio Cathedral.[5][6]

Ordinaries

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These ordinaries are all Latin Rite clergy, who are mostly members of missionary congregations.

Ordinaries of the Diocese of Baguio
No. Portrait Name Coat of Arms From Until Duration Notes
Prefects Apostolic of the Mountain Provinces (November 15, 1935 – June 10, 1948)
1 Giuseppe Billiet, C.I.C.M.
??? – 1947		 November 15, 1935 1947 12 years Died in office.
Vicars Apostolic of the Mountain Provinces (June 10, 1948 – December 18, 1987)
1 William Brasseur, C.I.C.M.
1903–1993		 June 10, 1948 November 7, 1981 33 years, 4 months, 28 days Retired.
2 Emiliano K. Madangeng
1927–1997		 November 7, 1981 December 18, 1987 6 years, 1 month, 11 days Retired.
Vicars Apostolic of Baguio (December 18, 1987 – June 24, 2004)
3 Ernesto A. Salgado
1936–		 December 18, 1987 December 7, 2000 12 years, 11 months, 19 days Appointed Bishop of Laoag.
4 Carlito J. Cenzon, C.I.C.M.
1939–2019		 January 25, 2002 June 24, 2004 2 years, 4 months, 30 days Became Bishop of Baguio.
Bishops of Baguio (June 24, 2004 – present)
1 Carlito J. Cenzon, C.I.C.M.
1939–2019		 June 24, 2004 October 1, 2016 12 years, 3 months, 7 days Resigned.
2 Victor B. Bendico
1960–		 October 1, 2016 March 3, 2023 6 years, 5 months, 2 days Appointed Archbishop of Capiz.
3 Rafael T. Cruz
1960–		 June 20, 2024 Incumbent ongoing Current bishop.

Coadjutor Vicar Apostolic

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Coadjutor Vicars Apostolic of the Mountain Provinces/Baguio
No. Portrait Name From Until Duration Notes
1 Emiliano K. Madangeng
1927–1997		 July 4, 1979 November 7, 1981 2 years, 4 months, 3 days Appointed Vicar Apostolic of Mountain Provinces.
2 Ernesto A. Salgado
1936–		 October 17, 1986 December 18, 1987 1 year, 2 months, 1 day Appointed Vicar Apostolic of Baguio; later Archbishop of Nueva Segovia.

Auxiliary Bishops

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Auxiliary Bishops of the Mountain Provinces/Baguio
No. Portrait Name From Until Duration Notes
1 Emiliano K. Madangeng
1927–1997		 April 24, 1971 July 4, 1979 8 years, 2 months, 10 days Appointed Coadjutor Vicar Apostolic of Mountain Provinces.
2 Sebastian A. Dalis
1925–2004		 November 18, 1987 July 11, 2000 12 years, 7 months, 23 days Retired.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Baguio (Catholic Diocese)". gcatholic.org. Retrieved September 16, 2023.
  2. ^ Pope Pius XI, Apostolic Decree creating the Apostolic Prefecture of the Mountain Provinces Quo facilius consuli (July 15, 1932), Acta Apostolicae Sedis 25 (1933), pp. 206-207. DISMEMBRATIONIS DIOECESIS ET ERECTIONIS PRAELATURAE APOSTOLICAE "MONTANAE".
  3. ^ Pope Pius XII, Apostolic Constitution elevating the Apostolic Prefecture of the Mountain Provinces into an Apostolic Vicariate Quo inter infideles (June 10, 1948), Acta Apostolicae Sedis 40 (1948), pp. 535-536. PRAEFECTURA APOSTOLICA MONTANA IN VICARIATUM APOSTOLICUM, IISDEM SERVATIS NOMINE AC LIMITIBUS, EVEHITUR.
  4. ^ "Baguio's new bishop, Rafael Cruz, ordained". GMA News. September 9, 2024. Retrieved September 9, 2024.
  5. ^ Patinio, Ferdinand (July 3, 2024). "Episcopal ordination of new Baguio bishop set Sept. 7". Philippine News Agency. Retrieved July 6, 2024.
  6. ^ "Pope Francis names Pangasinan priest as new Baguio bishop". Rappler. June 20, 2024. Retrieved June 20, 2024.
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16°24′46″N 120°35′53″E / 16.4128°N 120.5980°E / 16.4128; 120.5980

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