Archdiocese of Caceres

Archdiocese of Cáceres Archidioecesis Cacerensis Arkidiyosesis kan Cáceres
The coat of arms of the Archdiocese of Caceres
Location
Country	Philippines
Territory	Municipality of Gainza and the Third, Fourth, and Fifth Congressional District of Camarines Sur
Ecclesiastical province	Caceres
Statistics
Area	3,207 km2 (1,238 sq mi)
Population - Total - Catholics	(as of 2012) 1,339,000 1,096,000 (79.8%)
Information
Denomination	Roman Catholic
Sui iuris church	Latin Church
Rite	Roman Rite
Established	August 14, 1595 (Diocese), June 29, 1951 (Archdiocese)
Cathedral	Metropolitan Cathedral of Saint John the Evangelist
Patron saint	Our Lady of Peñafrancia
Current leadership
Pope	Francis
Metropolitan Archbishop	Rolando Joven Tria Tirona, O.C.D., D.D.
Vicar General	Rodel Cajot, P.C., S.T.D
Map
Jurisdiction of the metropolitan see within the Philippines.
Website
Website of the Archdiocese

The Archdiocese of Cáceres is an archdiocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the Philippines. It is a Metropolitan See that comprises the Bicol region, while directly overseeing the third, fourth, and fifth congressional districts of Camarines Sur. The Archdiocese, having been founded in 1595 in Nueva Cáceres (now Naga City), is also considered as one of the oldest dioceses in the Philippines with Cebu, Segovia and Manila, and once had jurisdiction that stretched from Samar in the south and Isabela Province in the north. The seat of the Archdiocese is currently located in Naga City, also known as the Queen City of Bicol.

The Archdiocese is also home to the Our Lady of Peñafrancia, the Patroness of Bicol, and is considered to be one of the largest Marian Pilgrimages in Asia.

The Diocese of Cáceres was established as the suffragan of Manila on August 14, 1595. This was by virtue of the Papal Bull “Super specula militantis ecclesiae” issued by Clement VIII. The diocese extended over the provinces of Camarines and Albay as far as and including the islands of Ticao, Masbate, Burias and Catanduanes; the province of Tayabas as far as and including Lucban; and, in the contracosta of Mauban to Binangonan, Polo, Baler and Casiguran. The official name given to the ecclesiastical jurisdiction is “Ecclesia Cacerensis in Indiis Orientalius.” The name was taken from “Ciudad de Cáceres,” also indicated as the seat of the diocese. Friar Luís de Maldonado, OFM was appointed the first bishop of the Diocese of Cáceres. It was elevated to the status of archdiocese on June 29, 1951 through the virtue of the Papal Bull “Quo in Philippine Republica” by Pope Pius XII. The Papal Bull also created its two Suffragan Sees: The Diocese of Legazpi and Sorsogon.