Iba Cathedral Explained

Iba Cathedral
Fullname:Saint Augustine Cathedral Parish
Pushpin Map:Luzon mainland#Philippines
Map Caption:Location in Luzon##Location in the Philippines
Coordinates:15.3259°N 119.9798°W
Location:Iba, Zambales
Country:Philippines
Denomination:Roman Catholic
Founded Date:1681
Dedication:Saint Augustine of Hippo
Status:Cathedral
Functional Status:Active
Architectural Type:Church building
Style:Baroque
Archdiocese:San Fernando
Diocese:Iba
Bishop:Bartolome Gaspar Santos

Saint Augustine Cathedral Parish (Filipino; Pilipino: Parokyang Katedral ni San Agustin), commonly known as the Iba Cathedral (Filipino; Pilipino: Katedral ng Iba), is a cathedral parish of the Roman Catholic Church located in the municipality of Iba, Zambales, Philippines. It is dedicated to Saint Augustine of Hippo and is the episcopal seat of the Diocese of Iba which covers Zambales and Olongapo.[1]

History

In the early decades of Spanish colonization, the territory of Zambales included parts of present-day Pangasinan and Bataan.[2] The Augustinian Recollects were the first to spread Catholicism in the province.[3] Opposition and conflicts with the local Aetas prompted the Recollects to build a fort in an area called Playa Honda which served as a refuge for the new converts. Iba, also spelled as "Yba" and formerly named as "Paynawen", was eventually founded in 1611 as a visita of Masinloc.[4] [5] It became a parish of its own in 1681.[1] [6]

The Recollects led the construction of the church of Iba in the 18th century. It is made of coral and limestone, the same materials used to build other churches in the province such as those in Masinloc and Botolan.[7] The church was the venue of the session of the Second Philippine Commission under William Howard Taft which founded the province of Zambales on August 28, 1901. The church administration in the province went to the Society of the Divine Word in 1928 and the Columban Fathers in 1951.[4] It became the cathedral of the Prelature of Iba in 1955 and also when it was elevated to a diocese in 1982.[1] [4]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Cathedral of St. Augustine Iba, ZAMBALES, CENTRAL LUZON, Philippines . November 30, 2021 . GCatholic . June 29, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210629034441/http://www.gcatholic.org/churches/asia/1879.htm . live .
  2. News: Masinloc, Zambales: Augustinian Recollect Mission (1607-1902) . November 30, 2021 . Philippine Social Science Journal . July 15, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200715084717/https://www.philssj.org/index.php/main/article/view/86/48 . live .
  3. News: The Recollects in the 17th Century . November 30, 2021 . OAR Augustinian Recollects Province of St. Nicholas of Tolentine.
  4. News: History of Iba . November 30, 2021 . Iba Municipal Government . January 28, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210128150901/https://www.ibazambales.gov.ph/history-of-iba/ . live .
  5. News: Zambales History . November 30, 2021 . Zambales Provincial Government . June 28, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210628141215/http://www.zambales.gov.ph/index.php/history/ . live .
  6. News: Diocese of Iba . November 30, 2021 . Claretian Communications . September 19, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200919025513/http://www.claretianpublications.ph/index.php/catholic-directory/diocese/diocese-of-iba/87 . live .
  7. News: St. Augustine Cathedral Diocese of Iba . November 30, 2021 . Giubileo della Misericordia.