Balanga Cathedral

Last updated
Balanga Cathedral
  • Cathedral-Shrine Parish of Saint Joseph
  • Katedral-Dambana at Parokyang Katedral ni San Jose (Filipino)
  • Catedral-Santuario y Parroquial de San José (Spanish)
Balanga Church, Bataan, Feb 2024 (1).jpg
Balanga Cathedral in 2024
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Balanga Cathedral
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Balanga Cathedral
14°40′45″N120°32′25″E / 14.679192°N 120.540239°E / 14.679192; 120.540239
LocationBrgy. Poblacion, Balanga, Bataan
CountryPhilippines
Denomination Roman Catholic
History
Former name(s)Parish of St. Joseph (1793–November 8, 1975)
Cathedral-Parish of St. Joseph (November 8, 1975–March 19, 2015)
Founded1793
Dedication Saint Joseph
Consecrated March 17, 2005
Past bishop(s)see Bishops section
Architecture
Functional statusActive
Architectural type Church building
Style Baroque
Administration
DivisionVicariate of Our Lady of the Pillar
Province San Fernando
Metropolis San Fernando
Archdiocese San Fernando
Diocese Balanga
Parish Saint Joseph
Clergy
Archbishop Florentino G. Lavarias
Bishop(s) Vacant
Rector Noel Niguid
Assistant priest(s) Jersey Prepose
Alwin Bobis

The Cathedral-Shrine Parish of Saint Joseph, commonly known as Balanga Cathedral, in Balanga, Bataan, is the seat of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Balanga which comprises entire of the civil province of Bataan, Philippines. Currently, Noel Niguid and Alwin Bobis serve as the cathedral priests. On March 19, 2015, the cathedral was formally declared a diocesan shrine, changing its status from cathedral-parish to cathedral-shrine.

Contents

History

Church PHC historical marker Church of Balanga historical marker.jpg
Church PHC historical marker

During the Japanese invasion, the cathedral was used as an artillery emplacement to bombard Mt. Samat, where the Filipino-American troops made their last stand. It was later renovated by the first bishop of the diocese, Celso Guevarra, who made its patron saint, Saint Joseph.

Interior and exterior

Church interior in 2023 Balanga Cathedral inside (Aguirre, Balanga, Bataan; 05-20-2023).jpg
Church interior in 2023

After the war, Bishop Celso renovated the church. Its walls were white and a number of chandeliers hung from the ceiling, the largest before the altar. Behind the altar was a structure painted green with stripes of gold and a statue of Jesus in the left, Mary on the right, and Joseph holding the hand of Baby Jesus. Beside the altar, there were two statues, Lorenzo Ruiz in the left and Mary at the right. There was a group of bells lined together vertically by metal grilles, the usual bell design in almost all of the parishes in Bataan. There was a statue of Jesus of Nazareth near the main door, which was kept for rehabilitation, believed to be miraculous. People lined up and gave sampaguitas to its neck and cross; they would usually wipe its feet. Along the cathedral's aisle are the coat of arms of respective bishops of Balanga that were added during their installation dates, with the latest is the coat of arms of Bishop Ruperto Santos which was added when he was installed as bishop of the diocese on July 8, 2010 three months after being appointed on April 1.

In the 1990's during the term of Celso Guevarra, the cathedral's facade was changed where the bricks were added over the facade's white paint, the hole was moved higher, and a cross was added on its top.

When Bishop Socrates Villegas was installed as Bishop of Balanga on July 3, 2004 two months after being appointed on May 3 of that year, he saw that the decorations were in bad shape; he renovated the inside with a new design. When it was finished, the white walls were replaced by a wall of bricks, the structure behind the altar became marble white, the floors were higher, the lectern bearing the coat of arms of diocese of Balanga was replaced with the one with Holy Spirit, and the chandeliers were replaced by ceiling lights. In 2008, 15 life-size images of saints with their names were added outside the cathedral representing the patron saints from the 11 towns and 1 city of Bataan where the Diocese of Balanga has jurisdiction with and a few towns have multiple saints. A few months before he became archbishop of Lingayen-Dagupan in Pangasinan on November 4, 2009, images featuring the ancestors of Jesus at the sides of a cathedral's dome and image of Jesus Christ at the dome itself were added.

During the term of Bishop Ruperto Santos, the patio and exterior area of the cathedral was improved, and numerous vendors were discouraged within its premises. The cathedra's clothing was changed from red to orange with a cross at its backrest in 2015. Pavement of the ground on the exterior was made from 2017 to 2018, and the belfry added the bricks in 2019. [1] In 2020, the cathedral's roof were painted from green and white to red. Pipe organs were also added on the cathedral's choir loft. Months before Santos became Bishop of Antipolo on July 22, 2023, the cathedral's leftmost entrance was blocked with a wall but the door is still present.

Feast of the patron saint

The feast day of Saint Joseph is celebrated twice annually in the city of Balanga, on March 19 and the pistang bayan every April 28.

Bishops and sede vacante administrators

ImageNameAppointedPositions while serving as bishop-elect and before being installed as Bishop of BalangaInstalledPeriod in Position (Bishop-elect and Installed Bishop of Balanga)LengthCoat of arms
Diocese of Balanga coat of arms.svg Celso Nogoy GuevarraJune 4, 1975Titular Bishop of VannidaNovember 8, 1975June 4, 1975 – June 18, 199823 years, 14 days (8415 days) Coat of Arms of Bishop Celso Guevarra.svg
FvfStPaulManilaInvestiture8914 34.JPG Honesto Flores Ongtioco April 8, 1998Priest of Archdiocese of San Fernando June 18, 1998April 8, 1998 – August 28, 20035 years, 4 months, 20 days (1968 days) Coat of arms of Honesto Flores Ongtioco (Balanga).svg
Archbishop Socrates Villegas, O.P.jpg Socrates Buenaventura Villegas May 3, 2004Auxiliary Bishop of Manila
Rector of EDSA Shrine
July 3, 2004May 3, 2004 – November 4, 20095 years, 6 months, 1 day (2011 days) Coat of Arms of Socrates Villegas as Bishop of Balanga.svg
Ruperto Cruz Santos 06.jpg Ruperto Cruz Santos April 1, 2010Priest of Archdiocese of Manila
Rector of Pontificio Collegio Filippino
July 8, 2010April 1, 2010 – July 22, 202313 years, 3 months, 21 days (4860 days) Coat of Arms of Ruperto Santos.svg

Sede vacante administrators

NamePreceding Installed BishopSucceeding Installed BishopLengthAge at start and end of tenure or term as sede vacante administrator
Antonio "Tony" S. Dumaual — died July 21, 2023 and funeral July 31, 2023Honesto Flores Ongtioco (August 28, 2003) Socrates Buenaventura Villegas (July 3, 2004)10 months, 5 days (310 days)61 years, 6 months, 23 days / 62 years, 4 months, 28 days
Victor de la Cruz Ocampo (later Bishop of Gumaca, Quezon) — died March 16, 2023 and funeral March 27, 2023Socrates Buenaventura Villegas (November 4, 2009) Ruperto Cruz Santos (July 8, 2010)8 months, 4 days (246 days)57 years, 7 months, 19 days / 58 years, 3 months, 22 days
Florentino Galang Lavarias (Archbishop of San Fernando, Pampanga)Ruperto Cruz Santos (July 22, 2023)TBA66 years, 4 months, 8 days /

Timeline

Florentino LavariasRuperto SantosVictor OcampoSocrates VillegasHonesto OngtiocoPope FrancisPope Benedict XVIPope John Paul IIPope John Paul IPope Paul VIBalanga Cathedral
Balanga Cathedral

See also

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References

  1. Greg Refraccion (6 February 2019). "Historic Balanga Cathedral undergoes scrubbing…and repainting". 1Bataan. Retrieved 16 March 2023.