Jurisdiction: | Diocese |
Border: | Catholic |
Baguio | |
Latin: | Dioecesis Baghiopolitana |
Local: | Diocesis ti Baguio Diosesis ng Baguio Diócesis de Baguio |
Coat: | Coat of arms of the Diocese of Baguio.svg |
Coat Size: | 240px |
Country: | Philippines |
Metropolitan: | Nueva Segovia |
Territory: | |
Province: | Nueva Segovia |
Area Km2: | 2,655 |
Population: | 818,000 |
Population As Of: | 2021 |
Catholics: | 594,000[1] |
Parishes: | 31 |
Denomination: | Catholic Church |
Sui Iuris Church: | Latin Church |
Rite: | Roman Rite |
Established: | July 6, 1992 (Apostolic Vicariate) June 24, 2004 (Diocese) |
Cathedral: | Our Lady of the Atonement Cathedral |
Patron: | Our Lady of the Atonement |
Priests: | 44 |
Bishop: | Rafael Cruz (Bishop-elect) |
Diocesan Admin: | Roland P. Buyagan --> |
Vicar General: | Berlynden Dao-Anis |
The Diocese of Baguio (Latin: Dioecesis Baghiopolitana) is a Latin Church suffragan diocese 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 in Baguio, Benguet, Cordillera Administrative Region.
It was first established in 1952 as the Apostolic Prefecture of Mountain Province, later elevated to an apostolic vicariate in 1948. It was later renamed as the Apostolic Vicariate of Baguio in 1992, and was elevated to a diocese in 2004 as a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Nueva Segovia. It is currently headed by the diocesan administrator, Roland P. Buyagan, after then-Bishop of Baguio, Victor Barnuevo Bendico, was appointed Archbishop of Capiz.
The diocese is one of the oldest ecclesiastical territories in the Philippines. It was established as the Apostolic Prefecture of Mountain Province (Latin: Praefectura Apostolica Montana) on July 15, 1932.[2] The territory that the Diocese of Baguio now spans was split from the bishopric of Nueva Segovia.
On June 10, 1948, the apostolic prefecture was elevated to the Apostolic Vicariate of Mountain Province (Montañosa), entitling it to a titular bishop.[3] The vicariate received a papal visit from John Paul II in February 1981.
In 1992, the 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 vicariate was elevated into the Diocese of Baguio, losing its missionary pre-diocesan status and becoming a suffragan of its mother Archdiocese of Nueva Segovia.
These ordinaries are all Latin Rite clergy, who are mostly members of missionary congregations.
No. | Picture | Name | From | Until | Coat of arms | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | William Brasseur | 10 Jun 1948 | 7 Nov 1981 | |||
2 | Emiliano Kulhi Madangeng | 7 Nov 1981 | 18 Dec 1987 |
No. | Picture | Name | From | Until | Coat of arms | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Ernesto Antolin Salgado | 18 Dec 1987 | 7 Dec 2000 | |||
2 | Carlito Joaquin Cenzon | 25 Jan 2002 | 10 Jul 2004 |
No. | Picture | Name | From | Until | Coat of arms | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Carlito Joaquin Cenzon | 10 Jul 2004 | 1 Oct 2016 | |||
2 | Victor Barnuevo Bendico | 10 Jan 2017 | 3 May 2023 | |||
3 | Rafael Tambao-an Cruz | 17 Sept 2024 | incumbent |
On June 20, 2024, Rafael Tambao-An Cruz was announced as the next bishop, replacing then Bishop Victor Barnuevo Bendico, who was elevated as Capiz Archbishop in May 2023. His episcopal ordination is set for September 7 at Dagupan Cathedral with Socrates Villegas of Lingayen-Dagupan as principal consecrator with Archbishop Victor Barnuevo Bendico of Capiz and Bishop Jesse Mercado of Paranaque as co-consecrators. His installation is officially set on September 17, to be led by Archbishop Charles John Brown and Jose Cardinal Advincula of Manila at Baguio Cathedral. Currently, Cruz is the head of Saint Ildephonse of Seville Parish Church (Malasiqui).[4] [5]