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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
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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
Country Philippines
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%)
Parishes31
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 priests44
Current leadership
PopeFrancis
BishopRafael T. Cruz
Metropolitan ArchbishopMarlo Peralta
Vicar GeneralRoland P. Buyagan
Bishops emeritusVictor Bendico
Website
Diocese of Baguio

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 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 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.

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 Baguio Cathedral.[5][6]

Ordinaries and auxiliary episcopate

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

Apostolic Prefect of Mountain Province

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No. Name From Until
1 Giuseppe Billiet 15 Nov 1935 1947

Apostolic Vicar of Mountain Province (Montañosa)

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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

Apostolic Vicars

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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

Bishops

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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

Auxiliary Bishops

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No. Picture Name From Until Coat of arms
1 Sebastian Acol Dalis 18 Nov 1987 11 Jul 2000

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Baguio (Catholic Diocese)". gcatholic.org. Retrieved 2023-09-16.
  2. ^ Pope Pius XI, Apostolic Decree creating the Apostolic Prefecture of the Mountain Provinces Quo facilius consuli (15 July 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 (10 June 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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