THE CATHEDRAL OF ZAMBOANGA AND THE ONCE ISLAS

On August 22, 2023, the Most Rev. Julius Tonel, former Bishop of the Diocese of Ipil, was installed as the new Archbishop of Zamboanga. He succeeded the Most Rev. Romulo dela Cruz, who passed away in 2021. During the interim, the Archdiocese was under the leadership of the Auxiliary Bishop, the Most Rev. Moises Cuevas, who served as Apostolic Administrator.

This occasion also gave me the opportunity to explore Once Islas, an emerging eco-cultural attraction in Zamboanga. The site comprises eleven small islands, three of which have been open to visitors since its launch in 2018. It was a refreshing experience, especially since I had previously visited the famous pink sand beach of Sta. Cruz Island in Zamboanga before.

I also had the chance to visit the St. Joseph Parish Church and the Fort Pilar Shrine, an open-air sanctuary dedicated to the Virgen del Pilar. This shrine holds deep significance for the local community, with its feast day on October 12 drawing larger crowds than even the city’s patroness which is the Immaculate Conception on December 8.

 METROPOLITAN CATHEDRAL OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION
La Purisima St., Zamboanga City

The Main altar of the Zamboanga Cathedral

With Abp. Romulo Valles, former Archbishop of Zamboanga, the new Archbishop, Julius Tonel and the Apostolic Administrator, Bp. Moises Cuevas. 

The altar at the crypt of the Cathedral

The Columbarium just below the Cathedral

ST. JOSEPH, SPOUSE OF THE BVM PARISH
Nunez St., Zamboanga City

SANTUARIO DE LA VIRGEN DEL PILAR
Fort Pilar, Zamboanga City

Since the Secretary of the Nuncio who was a foreigner was with us, we were accompanied by security escorts as the Once Islas, the place we were going were once a hideaway of Muslim rebels. 

The infinity pools of Bisaya-bisaya island. 

THE INSTALLATION OF ABP. VICTOR BENDICO AND OTHER CHURCHES IN THE ARCHDIOCESE OF CAPIZ

 

The installation of Abp. Victor Bendico as the Archbishop of Capiz last May 3, 2023 gave me the opportunity to visit all the parish churches of the towns of Capiz that I have not visited in my previous trips. Before flying into Capiz I arranged with the diocesan administrator, Msgr. Cyril Villareal if I could be given a ride so that I could go to the seven towns that I haven’t visited yet: Jamindan, Tapaz, Dumarao, Cuartero, Dao, Panit-an and Maayon.  Hence, in the afternoon right after the installation, I was able to visit all these towns including two other parish churches: Mambusao and Sigma that I visited before which were along the road. Was glad that I was able to pass by Mambusao as the inside of the church looked already different when I last visited it. I didn’t have a picture of the church of Sigma as I visited the church more than 30 years ago during the thanksgiving mass of my classmate who came from that town.  There was a heavy rainfall right after the installation which lasted more than an hour and it flooded two towns which we were supposed to visit: Cuartero and Dao. We had to go back to these towns the following day. 

The concelebrating priests and bishops during the processional entrance to the Capiz Cathedral. 

Capiz Cathedral

Twenty-nine bishops attended the installation headed by the Apostolic Nuncio Charles John Brown and Jose Cardinal Advincula, the former archbishop of Capiz. 

The Cathedra. 

The priests from the Diocese of Baguio doing a native dance. 

Abp. Bendico on a light moment with the bishops during the reception. 

St. Catherine of Alexandria Parish, Mambusao, Capiz

St. Sebastian Parish, Jamindan, Capiz

St. Nicholas of Myra Parish, San Nicolas, Tapaz, Capiz

St. Jerome Parish, Tapaz, Capiz

Our Lady of Snows Parish, Dumarao, Capiz

St. Anthony of Padua Parish Church, Cuartero, Capiz

We could not enter the church when we passed by the town the day before as the town was flooded. 

  St. Thomas of Villanova Parish, Dao, Capiz

Just like Cuartero, the road going to the church of Dao was underwater because of the  sudden storm which caused some flashflood in the afternoon right after the installation of Abp. Bendico. We had to return the following day to visit the church. 

St. Lawrence the Deacon Parish, Panitan, Capiz

Holy Child Parish, Maayon, Capiz

St. Isidore Parish, Pontevedra, Capiz

St. John the Baptist Parish, Sigma, Capiz

Previous posts on Churches of Capiz: Click here