Metropolitan Archdiocese of Lipa, Philippines 🇵🇭

Continent: South and East Asia

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Type: Metropolitan Archdiocese Metr. Archdiocese

Name: Lipa / Lipen(sis) (Latin)

Suffragan Sees: Boac, Calapan, Gumaca, Lucena, Infanta

Neighbouring Dioceses: Imus (↖), San Pablo (↗), Lucena (→), Calapan (↓)

Depends on: Dicastery for Bishops

Celebrations

Patron Saint: St. Joseph the Patriarch (March 19), Immaculate Conception (December 8)

Liturgical Calendar (National) 📅

History

1910.04.10: Established as Diocese of Lipa / Lipen(sis) (Latin) (from Metropolitan Archdiocese of Manila and Diocese of Nueva Caceres and became suffragan of Manila)
1936.07.02: Lost territory to establish Apostolic Prefecture of Mindoro
1950.03.28: Lost territory to establish Diocese of Lucena
1950.04.25: Lost territory to establish Territorial Prelature of Infanta
1961.11.25: Lost territory to establish Diocese of Imus
1966.11.28: Lost territory to establish Diocese of San Pablo
1972.06.20: Promoted as Metropolitan Archdiocese of Lipa / Lipen(sis) (Latin) (with suffragan sees Lucena and Infanta)
1977.04.02: Gained suffragan see Boac
1984.04.09: Gained suffragan see Gumaca
2026.03.25: Gained suffragan see Calapan

Present Prelates

Metropolitan Archbishop (2017.02.02 – ...):

Archbishop Gilbert Armea Garcera (67)

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

Ordinaries

Metropolitan Archbishops of Lipa (Roman Rite)

Archbishop Gilbert Armea Garcera (67)
(2017.02.02 – ...)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Lipa (Philippines)
President of Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (C.B.C.P.)

Ad omnia mittam te

Born:	1959.02.02 (Magarao, Camarines Sur, Philippines)
Ordained Priest:	1983.05.29
Consecrated Bishop:	2007.06.29

Priest of Caceres (Philippines) (1983.05.29 – 2007.04.04)

Bishop of Daet (Philippines) (2007.04.04 – 2017.02.02)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Lipa (Philippines) (2017.02.02 – ...)

President of Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (C.B.C.P.) (2025.12.01 – ...)

Archbishop Ramon Cabrera Argüelles (81)
(2004.05.14 – 2017.02.02)

Metropolitan Archbishop emeritus of Lipa (Philippines)

Servus ancillæ filius

Born:	1944.11.12 (Batangas City, Philippines)
Ordained Priest:	1969.12.21
Consecrated Bishop:	1994.01.06

Priest of Manila (Philippines) (1969.12.21 – 1993.11.26)

Titular Bishop of Roscrea (1993.11.26 – 1995.08.25)

Auxiliary Bishop of Manila (Philippines) (1993.11.26 – 1995.08.25)

Military Ordinary of Military Ordinariate of the Philippines (Philippines) (1995.08.25 – 2004.05.14)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Lipa (Philippines) (2004.05.14 – 2017.02.02)

Archbishop Gaudencio Borbon Rosales (93) (later Cardinal)
(1992.12.30 – 2003.09.15)

Cardinal-Priest of SS. Nome di Maria in Via Latina
Metropolitan Archbishop emeritus of Manila (Philippines)
former Member of Council of Cardinals for the Study of Organisational and Economic Problems of the Apostolic See

Si mortuum fuerit fructum affert

Born:	1932.08.10 (Batangas City, Philippines)
Ordained Priest:	1958.03.23
Consecrated Bishop:	1974.10.28
Created Cardinal:	2006.03.24

Priest of Lipa (Philippines) (1958.03.23 – 1974.08.12)

Titular Bishop of Œscus (1974.08.12 – 1982.06.09)

Auxiliary Bishop of Manila (Philippines) (1974.08.12 – 1982.06.09)

Coadjutor Bishop of Malaybalay (Philippines) (1982.06.09 – 1984.09.14)

Bishop of Malaybalay (Philippines) (1984.09.14 – 1992.12.30)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Lipa (Philippines) (1992.12.30 – 2003.09.15)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Manila (Philippines) (2003.09.15 – 2011.10.13)

Cardinal-Priest of SS. Nome di Maria in Via Latina (2006.03.24 [2007.03.04] – ...)

Member of Council of Cardinals for the Study of Organisational and Economic Problems of the Apostolic See (2007.02.03 – 2011.10.13)

Apostolic Administrator of Pasig (Philippines) (2010.12.21 – 2011.04.20)

Archbishop Mariano Gaviola y Garcés
(1981.04.13 – 1992.12.30)

Parare Domino plebem perfectam

Born:	1922.08.15 (Dansalan, Philippines)
Ordained Priest:	1949.04.02
Consecrated Bishop:	1963.06.04
Died:	1998.10.13 (Cebu, Philippines † 76)

Bishop of Cabanatuan (Philippines) (1963.03.08 – 1967.05.31)

Titular Bishop of Girba (1967.05.31 – 1981.04.13)

Secretary General of Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences (1974 – 1983)

Military Vicar of Philippines (Philippines) (1974.03.02 – 1981.04.13)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Lipa (Philippines) (1981.04.13 – 1992.12.30)

Archbishop Ricardo Jamin Vidal (later Cardinal)
(1973.08.22 – 1981.04.13)

Viam veritatis elegi

Born:	1931.02.06 (Mogpoc, Philippines)
Ordained Priest:	1956.03.17
Consecrated Bishop:	1971.11.30
Created Cardinal:	1985.05.25
Died:	2017.10.18 (Cebu City, Philippines † 86)

Priest of Lucena (Philippines) (1956.03.17 – 1971.09.10)

Chaplain of His Holiness (1969.06.23 – 1971.09.10)

Titular Bishop of Claterna (1971.09.10 – 1973.08.22)

Coadjutor Bishop of Malolos (Philippines) (1971.09.10 – 1973.08.22)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Lipa (Philippines) (1973.08.22 – 1981.04.13)

Coadjutor Archbishop of Cebu (Philippines) (1981.04.13 – 1982.08.24)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Cebu (Philippines) (1982.08.24 – 2010.10.15)

President of Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (C.B.C.P.) (1985 – 1987)

Cardinal-Priest of Ss. Pietro e Paolo a Via Ostiense (1985.05.25 – 2017.10.18)

Archbishop Alejandro Olalia
(1972.06.20 – 1973.01.02)

Vigilate et orate

Born:	1913.02.26 (Bacolor, Philippines)
Ordained Priest:	1940.03.23
Consecrated Bishop:	1949.07.25
Died:	1973.01.02 († 59)

Titular Bishop of Zela (1949.05.14 – 1950.05.06)

Coadjutor Bishop of Tuguegarao (Philippines) (1949.05.14 – 1950.05.06)

Bishop of Tuguegarao (Philippines) (1950.05.06 – 1953.12.28)

Bishop of Lipa (Philippines) (1953.12.28 – 1972.06.20)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Lipa (Philippines) (1972.06.20 – 1973.01.02)

Bishops of Lipa (Roman Rite)

Bishop Alejandro Olalia (later Archbishop)
(1953.12.28 – 1972.06.20)

(see above)

Bishop Alfredo Verzosa y Florentin
(1916.09.06 – 1951.02.25)

Born:	1877.12.09 (Vigan, Philippines)
Ordained Priest:	1904.12.24
Consecrated Bishop:	1917.01.20
Died:	1954.06.27 (Vigan, Philippines † 76)

Bishop of Lipa (Philippines) (1916.09.06 – 1951.02.25)

Titular Bishop of Capsa (1951.02.25 – 1954.06.27)

Bishop Joseph Petrelli (later Archbishop)
(1910.04.12 – 1915.03.30)

Born:	1873.02.11 (Montegiorgio, Italy)
Ordained Priest:	1896.08.10
Consecrated Bishop:	1910.06.12
Died:	1962.04.29 (Montegiorgio, Italy † 89)

Bishop of Lipa (Philippines) (1910.04.12 – 1915.03.30)

Apostolic Delegate to Philippines (1915.03.30 – 1921.05.27)

Titular Archbishop of Nisibis (1915.03.30 – 1962.04.29)

Apostolic Nuncio to Peru (1921.05.27 – 1925)

Former Prelates

Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Jose Paala Salazar, O.P. (2003.06.11 – 2004.05.29)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Buenaventura Malayo Famadico (69) (2002.04.06 – 2003.06.11)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Salvador Quizon Quizon (1979.06.09 – 2002.04.06)
Auxiliary Bishop: Venerable Bishop Alfredo Maria Obviar y Aranda (1944.03.11 – 1950.11.04)