The Philippines—1

The Philippines were colonized by Spain in the 16^th Century and taken by the United States in 1898 during the Spanish-American War.  They became a U.S. Commonwealth in 1935, but were occupied by the Japanese between 1942 and 1945.  The Philippines became independent in 1946.  Spanish missionaries brought the Faith to the Philippines starting in 1564.  About 82 percent of the Philippines population of 106 million is Catholic.  About 9 percent are Protestant [primarily in the Cordillera Administrative Region and Southern Mindanao] and 5 percent are Muslim [primarily in Mindanao, Palawan, and Sulu].

The Philippines has 16 Catholic ecclesiastic provinces.  In addition to the provinces, the Philippines has a diocese for the military (established in 1950) and has 7 apostolic vicariates that are immediately subject to the Pope. 

• Two of these vicariates are in the Cordillera Administrative Region:  Bontac-Lagawe (Mountain Province), and Tabuk (Kalinga), both established in 1992.
• Four are in Mimaropa:  Calapan (Mindoro Oriental), established as an apostolic prefecture in 1936 and as an apostolic vicariate in 1951; Puerto Princesa (Palawan), established as an apostolic prefecture in 1910 and as an apostolic vicariate in 1955; San Jose in Mindoto (Mindoro Occidental), established in 1983; and Taytay (Palawan), established in 2002.
• One—Jolo in Sulu—serves Catholics in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.  It was established as an apostolic prefecture in 1953 and as an apostolic vicariate in 1958.

This blog will discuss the 8 northern ecclesiastic provinces.

Province of Manila

The province consists of the National Capital Region and part of the civil region of Calabarzon.  The Diocese of Manila was created in 1579 and was promoted to the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Manila in 1595.

The Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception in Manila, made of adobe and cement, was built between 1954 and 1958 to replace a building that had been destroyed during the Second World War.  The Cathedral features a baptistery with reliquary-calendar containing 365 relics of saints; artworks by Italian artists; and stained glass windows by Filipino artists.  Pope John Paul II designated the cathedral a minor basilica in 1981.  Additional detail can be found in the Cathedral’s website, manilacathedral.com.ph.

All are from Wikipedia.

The Province has nine suffragan dioceses.

• The Diocese of Imus was established in 1961.
• The Diocese of Malolos was established in 1961.
• The Diocese of San Pablo was established in 1966.
• The Diocese of Antipolo was established in 1983.
• The Diocese of Novaliches was established in 2002.
• The Diocese of Paranaque was established in 2002.
• The Diocese of Cubao was established in 2003.
• The Diocese of Kalookan was established in 2003.
• The Diocese of Pasig was established in 2003.

Province of Caceres

The province consists of the civil region of Bicol.  The Diocese of Nueva Caceres was established in 1595 and became the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Caceres in 1951.  The Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist in Naga City was built between 1808 and 1843.  The Romanesque Revival building is made of stone, coral, bricks, and cement, and can seat 1,500 people.

From TripAdvisor and Wikipedia.

The Province has six suffragan dioceses.

• The Diocese of Lagazpi was established in 1951.
• The Diocese of Sorsogon was established in 1951.
• The Diocese of Masbate was established in 1968.
• The Diocese of Daet was established in 1974.
• The Diocese of Virac was established in 1974.
• The Diocese of Libmanan was established as a territorial prelature in 1989 and became a diocese in 2009.

Province of Nueva Segovia

The province consists of part of Ilocos civil region and part of the Cordillera Administrative Region.  The Diocese of Nueva Segovia was created in 1595 and was promoted to the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Nueva Segovia in 1951.  The Cathedral of the Conversion of St. Paul the Apostle in Vigan City was built in a Baroque style between 1790 and 1800.  The Cathedral has a silver paneled main altar and twelve side altars.

From Wikipedia.

The Province has three suffragan dioceses.

• The Diocese of Laoag was established in 1961.
• The Diocese of Bangued began as a territorial prelature in 1955 before becoming a Diocese in 1982.
• The Diocese of Baguio began as an apostolic prefecture in 1932.  It became an apostolic vicariate in 1948 before becoming a diocese in 2004.

Lingayen-Dagupan

The province consists of part of the civil region of Central Luzon and part of the civil region of Ilocos.  The Diocese of Lingayen was established in 1928 and became the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Lingayen-Dagupan in 1963.  The Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist in Dagupan City was built between 1964 and 1974.  For more information, see saintjohntheevangelistcathedral.blogspot.com.

From Wikipedia

The Co-Cathedral of the Epiphany of the Lord in Lingayen was built in 1587.  The adobe church has a dome and an oriental pagoda-like bell tower.  See epiphanyofthelordparish.blogspot.com.

From Explora and Wikipedia

The Province has five suffragan dioceses.

• The Diocese of Cabanatuan was established in 1963.
• The Diocese of San Fernando de La Union was established in 1970.
• The Diocese of San Jose de Nueva Ecija was established in 1984.
• The Diocese of Alaminos was established in 1985.
• The Diocese of Urdaneta was established in 1985.

Province of Lipa

The province consists of part of the civil regions of Calabarzon and Central Luzon.  The Diocese of Lipa was created in 1910 and was promoted to the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Lipa in 1972.  The Romanesque San Sebastian Cathedral in Lipa City was built between 1779 and 1865.  It was heavily damaged during the Second World War and rebuilt.  The Cathedral has a dome and a bell tower.  The main door has carved images depicting the history of salvation.  See cathedrallipacity.webs.com.

From Flickr and Wikipedia.

The Province has four suffragan jurisdictions.

• The Diocese of Lucena was established in 1950.
• The Diocese of Boac was established in 1977.
• The Diocese of Gumaca was established in 1984.
• The Territorial Prelature of Infanta was established in 1950.

Province of Tuguegarao

The province consists of the civil region of Cagayan Valley.  The Diocese of Tuguegarao was established in 1910 and was promoted to a metropolitan archdiocese in 1974.  The Baroque St. Peter’s Cathedral in Tuguegarao City was built between 1761 and 1768.  The church was badly damaged during the Second World War and was rebuilt.  The Cathedral has a five-story bell tower topped with a cross.

All are from Wikipedia.

The Province has three suffragan jurisdictions.

• The Diocese of Ilagan was established in 1970.
• The Diocese of Bayombong began as a territorial prelature in 1966 before becoming a diocese in 1982.
• The Territorial Prelature of Batanes was established in 1950.

Province of San Fernando

The province consists of part of the civil region of Central Luzon.  The Diocese of San Fernando was established in 1948 and became a metropolitan archdiocese in 1975.  The Cathedral of St. Ferdinand in San Fernando was constructed between 1788 and 1808 using Baroque and Renaissance styles.

All are from Wikipedia.

The Province has three suffragan dioceses.

• The Diocese of Tarlac was established in 1963.
• The Diocese of Balanga was established in 1975.
• The Diocese of Iba was established as a territorial prelature in 1955 and became a diocese in 1982.

Province of Palo

The province consists of most of the Eastern Visayas civil region.  The Diocese of Palo was created in 1937 and was promoted to the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Palo in 1982.  The Cathedral of the Transfiguration of Our Lord in Palo was built in 1596, but has been reconstructed several times.

The first picture is from TripAdvisor and the others are from Wikipedia.  You may recognize the man in the third picture.

The Province has four suffragan dioceses.

• The Diocese of Calbayog was established in 1910.
• The Diocese of Borongan was established in 1960.
• The Diocese of Catarman was established in 1974.
• The Diocese of Naval was established in 1988.

Definitions

The Catholic Church is mostly divided into ecclesiastical provinces—a province consists of a metropolitan archdiocese and one or more dioceses.  The province and the archdiocese are led by an archbishop.  Each of the dioceses is called a suffragan diocese and is led by a bishop.  Archbishops have some responsibilities for the province, but all bishops answer directly to the Pope.  There are also archdioceses that are not part of a province that are directly under the jurisdiction of the Pope.  There are also jurisdictions below the level of a diocese.  These include apostolic vicariates, apostolic prefectures, and territorial prelatures.  All are missionary territories below the level of a diocese.  The difference is that an apostolic vicariate is led by a bishop and the others are led by a priest below the level of a bishop. 

A basilica is an honorary title bestowed on a church by the Pope because of the church’s antiquity, dignity, historical importance, or significance as a center of worship.  Some cathedrals are also basilicas.  Each basilica has a ceremonial umbrella in the papal colors of white and yellow and a ceremonial bell.  Both of these are symbolic of the Pope’s special relationship to the basilica.