Diocese of

Calbayog

Philippines

Continent: South and East Asia

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Type: Diocese Diocese

Name: Calbayog / Calbayogan(us) (Latin)

Ecclesiastical Province: Palo

Depends on: Dicastery for Bishops

Celebrations

Patron Saint: Saint Peter and Saint Paul of Tarsus (June 29)

Cathedral Dedication Anniversary: September 7

Liturgical Calendar (National) 📅

History

1910.04.10: Established as Diocese of Calbayog / Calbayogan(us) (Latin) (from Diocese of Cebu and became suffragan of Manila)
1934.04.28: Became suffragan of Cebu
1937.11.28: Lost territory to establish Diocese of Palo
1960.10.22: Lost territory to establish Diocese of Borongan
1974.12.05: Lost territory to establish Diocese of Catarman
1982.11.15: Became suffragan of Palo

Present Prelates

Bishop (2007.01.05 – ...):

Bishop Isabelo Caiban Abarquez (65)

Ordinaries

Bishops of Calbayog (Roman Rite)

Bishop Isabelo Caiban Abarquez (65)
(2007.01.05 – ...)

Bishop of Calbayog (Philippines)

Regnare Christum volumus

Born:	1959.07.08 (Panlaan, Philippines)
Ordained Priest:	1987.06.23
Consecrated Bishop:	2003.02.18

Priest of Cebu (Philippines) (1987.06.23 – 2002.12.27)

Auxiliary Bishop of Cebu (Philippines) (2002.12.27 – 2004.06.19)

Titular Bishop of Talaptula (2002.12.27 – 2007.01.05)

Auxiliary Bishop of Palo (Philippines) (2004.06.19 – 2007.01.05)

Bishop of Calbayog (Philippines) (2007.01.05 – ...)

Bishop Jose Serofia Palma (74) (later Archbishop)
(1999.01.13 – 2006.03.18)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Cebu (Philippines)

Non nobis Domine

Born:	1950.03.19 (Dingle, Philippines)
Ordained Priest:	1976.08.21
Consecrated Bishop:	1998.01.13

Priest of Jaro (Philippines) (1976.08.21 – 1997.11.28)

Titular Bishop of Vazari-Didda (1997.11.28 – 1999.01.13)

Auxiliary Bishop of Cebu (Philippines) (1997.11.28 – 1999.01.13)

Bishop of Calbayog (Philippines) (1999.01.13 – 2006.03.18)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Palo (Philippines) (2006.03.18 – 2010.10.15)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Cebu (Philippines) (2010.10.15 – ...)

President of Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (C.B.C.P.) (2011.12.01 – 2013.12.01)

Bishop Maximiano Tuazon Cruz
(1994.12.20 – 1999.01.13)

Born:	1923.04.04 (Philippines)
Ordained Priest:	1947.11.30
Consecrated Bishop:	1987.12.01
Died:	2013.10.09 († 90)

Titular Bishop of Tanudaia (1987.11.10 – 1994.12.20)

Auxiliary Bishop of Calbayog (Philippines) (1987.11.10 – 1994.12.20)

Bishop of Calbayog (Philippines) (1994.12.20 – 1999.01.13)

Bishop Sincero Barcenilla Lucero
(1979.12.10 – 1984.10.11)

Born:	1935.12.22 (Philippines)
Ordained Priest:	1961.03.18
Consecrated Bishop:	1977.05.24
Died:	1993.09.03 († 57)

Bishop of Borongan (Philippines) (1977.03.08 – 1979.12.10)

Bishop of Calbayog (Philippines) (1979.12.10 – 1984.10.11)

Bishop Ricardo Pido Tancinco (91)
(1974.03.08 – 1979.04.21)

Bishop emeritus of Calbayog (Philippines)

Born:	1933.08.04 (Calbayog, Philippines)
Ordained Priest:	1956.11.30
Consecrated Bishop:	1974.05.30

Priest of Calbayog (Philippines) (1956.11.30 – 1974.03.08)

Bishop of Calbayog (Philippines) (1974.03.08 – 1979.04.21)

Bishop Cipriano Urgel Villahermosa (later Archbishop)
(1962.03.22 – 1973.04.12)

Jesus est Filius Dei

Born:	1918.09.26 (Philippines)
Ordained Priest:	1945.03.17
Consecrated Bishop:	1962.06.12
Died:	1985.04.22 († 66)

Bishop of Calbayog (Philippines) (1962.03.22 – 1973.04.12)

Bishop of Palo (Philippines) (1973.04.12 – 1982.11.15)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Palo (Philippines) (1982.11.15 – 1985.04.22)

Bishop Manuel Platon Del Rosario
(1958.07.25 – 1961.12.11)

Anima mea pro ovibus

Born:	1915.07.01 (Philippines)
Ordained Priest:	1939.03.25
Consecrated Bishop:	1955.07.25
Died:	2009.03.23 († 93)

Titular Bishop of Zerta (1955.05.24 – 1958.07.25)

Coadjutor Bishop of Calbayog (Philippines) (1955.05.24 – 1958.07.25)

Bishop of Calbayog (Philippines) (1958.07.25 – 1961.12.11)

Bishop of Malolos (Philippines) (1961.12.11 – 1977.12.15)

Bishop Michele Acebedo y Flores
(1937.12.16 – 1958.07.25)

Born:	1901.09.29 (Philippines)
Ordained Priest:	1926.03.20
Consecrated Bishop:	1938.03.25
Died:	1958.07.25 († 56)

Bishop of Calbayog (Philippines) (1937.12.16 – 1958.07.25)

Bishop Sofronio Hacbang y Gaborni
(1923.02.22 – 1937.04.03)

Born:	1887.12.08
Ordained Priest:	1911.01.11
Consecrated Bishop:	1919.06.08
Died:	1937.04.03 († 49)

Titular Bishop of Anemurium (1918.11.08 – 1923.02.22)

Auxiliary Bishop of Calbayog (Philippines) (1918.11.08 – 1923.02.22)

Bishop of Calbayog (Philippines) (1923.02.22 – 1937.04.03)

Bishop Pablo Singzon
(1910.04.12 – 1920.08.09)

Born:	1851.01.25 (Philippines)
Ordained Priest:	1877.02.24
Consecrated Bishop:	1910.06.02
Died:	1920.08.09 († 69)

Bishop of Calbayog (Philippines) (1910.04.12 – 1920.08.09)

Former Prelates

Coadjutor Bishop: Bishop Manuel Platon Del Rosario (1955.05.24 – 1958.07.25)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Maximiano Tuazon Cruz (1987.11.10 – 1994.12.20)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Sofronio Hacbang y Gaborni (1918.11.08 – 1923.02.22)

Special Churches

Cathedral: Cathedral of Sts. Peter and Paul, Calbayog City, Samar, Eastern Visayas
Jubilee Churches in the Holy Year 2025

Churches by City (34)

Naval (↙), Catarman (↑), Borongan (↘), Palo (↓)

Statistics (2022.12.31)

Area: 5,591 km²

Population: 745,592 Catholics (91.9% of 811,630 total)

Pastoral Centres: 48 parishes, 7 missions

Personnel: 96 priests (84 diocesan, 12 religious), 111 religious (56 brothers, 55 sisters), 36 seminarians

Pastoral Centres

Last updated on 2025.01.27

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