Metropolitan Archdiocese of

San Fernando

Philippines

Continent: South and East Asia

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Type: Metropolitan Archdiocese Metr. Archdiocese

Name: San Fernando / Sancti Ferdinandi (Latin)

Suffragan Sees: Balanga, Iba, Tarlac

Depends on: Dicastery for Bishops

Special Churches

Cathedral: Metropolitan Cathedral of St. Ferdinand, San Fernando, Pampanga, Central Luzon
Shrines in the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy

Churches by City (97)

Balanga (↙), Iba (↖), Tarlac (↑), Cabanatuan (↗), Malolos (↘)

Present Prelates

Metropolitan Archbishop (2014.07.25 – ...):

Archbishop Florentino Galang Lavarias (66)

Apostolic Administrator of Balanga (Philippines)

Ordinaries

Metropolitan Archbishops of San Fernando (Roman Rite)

Archbishop Florentino Galang Lavarias (66)
(2014.07.25 – ...)

Metropolitan Archbishop of San Fernando (Philippines)
Apostolic Administrator of Balanga (Philippines)

Voluntas tua delectatio mea

Born:	1957.03.14 (Santa Ines, Philippines)
Ordained Priest:	1985.09.26
Consecrated Bishop:	2004.08.12

Priest of San Fernando (Philippines) (1985.09.26 – 2004.06.19)

Bishop of Iba (Philippines) (2004.06.19 – 2014.07.25)

Metropolitan Archbishop of San Fernando (Philippines) (2014.07.25 – ...)

Apostolic Administrator of Balanga (Philippines) (2023.07.22 – ...)

Archbishop Paciano Basilio Aniceto (86)
(1989.01.31 – 2014.07.25)

Metropolitan Archbishop emeritus of San Fernando (Philippines)

Ministerium tuum imple

Born:	1937.03.09 (Santa Ana, Philippines)
Ordained Priest:	1962.12.23
Consecrated Bishop:	1979.05.27

Priest of San Fernando (Philippines) (1962.12.23 – 1979.04.07)

Titular Bishop of Tlos (1979.04.07 – 1983.10.20)

Auxiliary Bishop of Tuguegarao (Philippines) (1979.04.07 – 1983.10.20)

Bishop of Iba (Philippines) (1983.10.20 – 1989.01.31)

Metropolitan Archbishop of San Fernando (Philippines) (1989.01.31 – 2014.07.25)

Archbishop Oscar Valero Cruz
(1978.05.22 – 1988.10.24)

Justitia et pax

Born:	1934.11.17 (Balanga, Philippines)
Ordained Priest:	1962.02.10
Consecrated Bishop:	1976.05.03
Died:	2020.08.26 (San Juan City, Philippines † 85)

Titular Bishop of Martirano (1976.03.04 – 1978.05.22)

Auxiliary Bishop of Manila (Philippines) (1976.03.04 – 1978.05.22)

Metropolitan Archbishop of San Fernando (Philippines) (1978.05.22 – 1988.10.24)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Lingayen–Dagupan (Philippines) (1991.07.15 – 2009.09.08)

President of Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences (1993 – 2000)

President of Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (C.B.C.P.) (1995 – 1999)

Died of COVID-19.

Archbishop Emilio Cinense y Abera
(1975.03.17 – 1978.05.05)

Born:	1911.09.02 (Philippines)
Ordained Priest:	1935.04.06
Consecrated Bishop:	1957.05.11
Died:	1978.05.05 († 66)

Bishop of San Fernando (Philippines) (1957.03.15 – 1975.03.17)

Metropolitan Archbishop of San Fernando (Philippines) (1975.03.17 – 1978.05.05)

Bishops of San Fernando (Roman Rite)

Bishop Emilio Cinense y Abera (later Archbishop)
(1957.03.15 – 1975.03.17)

(see above)

Bishop Cesare Marie Guerrero
(1949.05.14 – 1957.03.14)

Exultabunt ossa humuliata

Born:	1885.01.26
Ordained Priest:	1914.10.28
Consecrated Bishop:	1929.05.24
Died:	1961.03.28 († 76)

Bishop of Lingayen (Philippines) (1929.02.22 – 1937.12.16)

Titular Bishop of Limisa (1937.12.16 – 1949.05.14)

Auxiliary Bishop of Manila (Philippines) (1937.12.16 – 1949.05.14)

Bishop of San Fernando (Philippines) (1949.05.14 – 1957.03.14)

Titular Bishop of Thuburbo minus (1957.03.14 – 1961.03.28)

Former Prelates

Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Pablo Virgilio Siongco David (64) (2006.05.27 – 2015.10.14)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Roberto Calara Mallari (65) (2006.01.14 – 2012.05.15)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Jesus Castro Galang (1987.05.23 – 1991.12.07)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Celso N. Guevarra (1972.06.20 – 1975.06.04)

Contact Info

Website:

Statistics

Area: 2,180 km²

Population: 2,494,547 Catholics (86.0% of 2,900,637 total) (2021)

Statistics: 97 parishes, 162 priests (146 diocesan, 16 religious), 160 religious (23 brothers, 137 sisters), 98 seminarians (2021)

Celebrations

Patron Saint: Saint Ferdinand III of Castile, Our Lady of the Assumption

History

1948.12.11: Established as Diocese of San Fernando / Sancti Ferdinandi (Latin) (from Metropolitan Archdiocese of Manila and became suffragan of Manila)
1955.06.12: Lost territory to establish Territorial Prelature of Iba
1963.02.16: Lost territory to establish Diocese of Cabanatuan and Diocese of Tarlac
1975.03.17: Promoted as Metropolitan Archdiocese of San Fernando / Sancti Ferdinandi (Latin) (with suffragan sees Balanga, Tarlac and Iba and lost territory to establish Diocese of Balanga)

Last updated on 2023.09.03

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