Metropolitan Archdiocese of

Zamboanga

Philippines

Continent: South and East Asia

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Type: Metropolitan Archdiocese Metr. Archdiocese

Name: Zamboanga / Zamboangen(sis) (Latin)

Suffragan Sees: Ipil, Isabela

Depends on: Dicastery for Bishops

Website:

Celebrations

Patron Saint: Our Lady of the Pillar (October 12), Saint Pius X (August 21)

Cathedral Dedication Anniversary: December 12

Liturgical Calendar (National) 📅

History

1910.04.10: Established as Diocese of Zamboanga / Zamboangen(sis) (Latin) (from Diocese of Cebu and Diocese of Jaro and became suffragan of Manila)
1933.01.20: Lost territory to establish Diocese of Cagayan de Oro
1949.12.17: Lost territory to establish Territorial Prelature of Davao
1950.08.11: Lost territory to establish Territorial Prelature of Cotabato and Sulu
1951.01.27: Lost territory to establish Territorial Prelature of Ozamiz
1958.05.19: Promoted as Metropolitan Archdiocese of Zamboanga / Zamboangen(sis) (Latin)
1963.10.12: Lost territory to establish Territorial Prelature of Isabela and gained suffragan see Isabela
1967.07.31: Lost territory to establish Diocese of Dipolog and gained suffragan see Dipolog
1971.02.17: Gained suffragan see Ozamiz
1971.11.12: Lost territory to establish Diocese of Pagadian and gained suffragan see Pagadian
1979.12.24: Lost territory to establish Territorial Prelature of Ipil and gained suffragan see Ipil
1983.01.24: Lost suffragan sees Dipolog, Ozamiz and Pagadian

Present Prelates

Metropolitan Archbishop (2023.04.25 – ...):

Archbishop Julius Sullan Tonel (67)

Ordinaries

Metropolitan Archbishops of Zamboanga (Roman Rite)

Archbishop Julius Sullan Tonel (67)
(2023.04.25 – ...)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Zamboanga (Philippines)

Habeant omnia communia

Born:	1956.08.31 (Davao, Philippines)
Ordained Priest:	1980.04.12
Consecrated Bishop:	2007.08.20

Priest of Davao (Philippines) (1980.04.12 – 2007.06.30)

Bishop-Prelate of Ipil (Philippines) (2007.06.30 – 2010.05.01)

Bishop of Ipil (Philippines) (2010.05.01 – 2023.04.25)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Zamboanga (Philippines) (2023.04.25 – ...)

Bishop Moises Magpantay Cuevas (50)
(Apostolic Administrator 2021.08.11 – 2023.04.25)

Archbishop Romulo Tolentino de la Cruz
(2014.03.15 – 2021.12.10)

Crescere in plebem suam

Born:	1947.06.24 (Balasan, Philippines)
Ordained Priest:	1972.12.08
Consecrated Bishop:	1988.03.16
Died:	2021.12.10 (Zamboanga, Philippines † 74)

Coadjutor Bishop-Prelate of Isabela (Philippines) (1987.12.17 – 1989.01.28)

Bishop-Prelate of Isabela (Philippines) (1989.01.28 – 2001.01.08)

Coadjutor Bishop of San Jose de Antique (Philippines) (2001.01.08 – 2002.03.16)

Bishop of San Jose de Antique (Philippines) (2002.03.16 – 2008.05.14)

Bishop of Kidapawan (Philippines) (2008.05.14 – 2014.03.15)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Zamboanga (Philippines) (2014.03.15 – 2021.12.10)

Archbishop Romulo Geolina Valles (72)
(2006.11.13 – 2012.02.11)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Davao (Philippines)

Illum oportet crescere

Born:	1951.07.10 (Maribojoc, Philippines)
Ordained Priest:	1976.04.06
Consecrated Bishop:	1997.08.06

Priest of Tagum (Philippines) (1976.04.06 – 1997.06.24)

Bishop of Kidapawan (Philippines) (1997.06.24 – 2006.11.13)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Zamboanga (Philippines) (2006.11.13 – 2012.02.11)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Davao (Philippines) (2012.02.11 – ...)

Vice-President of Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (C.B.C.P.) (2013.12.01 – 2017.07.08)

President of Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (C.B.C.P.) (2017.07.08 [2017.12.01] – 2021.12.01)

Archbishop Carmelo Dominador Flores Morelos
(1994.12.08 – 2006.11.13)

Ego veni ut serviamus tibi

Born:	1930.12.11 (Philippines)
Ordained Priest:	1954.04.03
Consecrated Bishop:	1967.07.05
Died:	2016.09.17 († 85)

Bishop of Butuan (Philippines) (1967.04.04 – 1994.12.08)

President of Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (C.B.C.P.) (1991 – 1995)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Zamboanga (Philippines) (1994.12.08 – 2006.11.13)

Archbishop Francisco Raval Cruces
(1973.08.22 – 1994.12.07)

Vivet et diligamus alterutrum

Born:	1919.09.29 (Philippines)
Ordained Priest:	1944.03.25
Consecrated Bishop:	1968.07.24
Died:	1997.10.04 († 78)

Titular Bishop of Tambeæ (1968.04.02 – 1970.03.04)

Auxiliary Bishop of Lingayen–Dagupan (Philippines) (1968.04.02 – 1970.03.04)

Bishop of Ilagan (Philippines) (1970.03.04 – 1973.08.22)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Zamboanga (Philippines) (1973.08.22 – 1994.12.07)

Archbishop Lino R. Gonzaga y Rasdesales
(1966.08.12 – 1973.08.22)

Trust in the Lord

Born:	1906.05.31 (Philippines)
Ordained Priest:	1929.03.19
Consecrated Bishop:	1952.01.08
Died:	1980.08.15 († 74)

Bishop of Palo (Philippines) (1951.11.12 – 1966.08.12)

President of Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (C.B.C.P.) (1966 – 1970)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Zamboanga (Philippines) (1966.08.12 – 1973.08.22)

Archbishop Luis del Rosario, S.J.
(1958.05.19 – 1966.08.12)

Born:	1886.09.24 (Philippines)
Ordained Priest:	1910.12.17
Consecrated Bishop:	1933.06.04
Died:	1970.09.22 († 83)

Bishop of Zamboanga (Philippines) (1933.03.16 – 1958.05.19)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Zamboanga (Philippines) (1958.05.19 – 1966.08.12)

Titular Archbishop of Thiges (1966.08.12 – 1970.09.22)

Bishops of Zamboanga (Roman Rite)

Bishop Luis del Rosario, S.J. (later Archbishop)
(1933.03.16 – 1958.05.19)

(see above)

Bishop José Clos y Pagés, S.J.
(1920.05.07 – 1931.08.02)

Born:	1859.04.23 (Spain)
Ordained Priest:	1894.07.29
Consecrated Bishop:	1920.10.17
Died:	1931.08.02 († 72)

Bishop of Zamboanga (Philippines) (1920.05.07 – 1931.08.02)

Bishop James Paul McCloskey
(1917.02.05 – 1920.03.08)

Born:	1870.12.09 (USA)
Ordained Priest:	1898.12.17
Consecrated Bishop:	1917.05.01
Died:	1945.04.10 († 74)

Bishop of Zamboanga (Philippines) (1917.02.05 – 1920.03.08)

Bishop of Jaro (Philippines) (1920.03.08 – 1945.04.10)

Bishop Michael James O’Doherty (later Archbishop)
(1911.06.19 – 1916.09.06)

Delectabor in Domino

Born:	1874.07.30 (Ireland)
Ordained Priest:	1897.11.30
Consecrated Bishop:	1911.09.03
Died:	1949.10.13 († 75)

Bishop of Zamboanga (Philippines) (1911.06.19 – 1916.09.06)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Manila (Philippines) (1916.09.06 – 1949.10.13)

Former Prelates

Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Moises Magpantay Cuevas (50) (2020.03.19 – 2023.06.29)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Antonio Realubin Tobias (82) (1982.11.03 – 1984.09.14)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Jesus Yu Varela (1967.03.28 – 1971.02.17)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Leopoldo A. Arcaira (1961.11.06 – 1966.10.17)

Special Churches

Cathedral: Metropolitan Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Zamboanga City, Zamboanga del Sur, Zamboanga Peninsula

Churches by City (24)

Ipil (↗), Isabela (↓)

Statistics (2021.12.31)

Area: 1,483 km²

Population: 763,743 Catholics (67.2% of 1,137,000 total)

Pastoral Centres: 27 parishes, 2 missions

Personnel: 78 priests (57 diocesan, 21 religious), 94 religious (21 brothers, 73 sisters), 47 seminarians

Pastoral Centres

Last updated on 2024.04.14

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