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Diocese of Zamboanga

Archdiocese of Zamboanga
Archdiocesis Zamboangensis
Arquidiocesis de Zamboanga (Chavacano)
Arkidiyosesis ng Zamboanga (Filipino)
Coat of arms of the Archdiocese of Zamboanga.svg
Location
Country  Philippines
Territory Zamboanga City, Zamboanga Sibugay, Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi
Metropolitan Zamboanga City
Statistics
Area 1,638 km2 (632 sq mi)
Population
- Total
- Catholics
(as of 2010)
735,000
570,000 (77.6%)
Information
Denomination Roman Catholic
Sui iuris church Latin Church
Rite Roman Rite
Established April 10, 1910 (as diocese)
Cathedral Immaculate Conception Metropolitan Cathedral
Patron saint Nuestra Seňora del Pilar
Current leadership
Pope Francis
Metropolitan Archbishop Romulo T. Dela Cruz
Suffragans Apostolic Vicariate of Jolo/Diocese of Jolo
Diocese of Ipil
Territorial Prelature of Isabela
Emeritus Bishops Carmelo Dominador Flores Morelos Archbishop Emeritus (1994-2006)
Map
Jurisdiction of the metropolitan see within the Philippines.
Jurisdiction of the metropolitan see within the Philippines.
Website
Website of the Archdiocese


The Archdiocese of Zamboanga (Latin name: Archdiocesis Zamboangensis) is a Catholic archdiocese in the Philippines. Its present jurisdiction includes Zamboanga City, with suffragans in Basilan (Territorial Prelature of Isabela, Basilan), Sulu Archipelago (Apostolic Vicariate of Jolo/Diocese of Jolo) and Zamboanga Sibugay (Diocese of Ipil). It became Mindanao's first diocese in 1910, and was established as the second archdiocese of Mindanao in 1958. Today the archdiocese covers a land area of 1,648 square kilometers and has a population of 442,345, of which 81 per cent are Catholics. The archdiocese includes 26 parishes, served by 49 diocesan and 18 religious priests. There are also 51 religious sisters working in the archdiocese.

From 1607 to 1910 the entire island of Mindanao was under the Diocese of Cebu and Jaro. On April 10, 1910, Pope Pius X created the Diocese of Zamboanga and gave it jurisdiction over the whole island of Mindanao, including the adjacent islands of the Sulu Archipelago and the island of Cagayan de Sulu.

The Catholic faith was brought to Zamboanga by Jesuit missionaries Melchor de Vera and Alejandro Lopez in 1635. The efforts of the Spanish authorities to subdue the Muslims resulted in reprisal raids in Zamboanga and the Visayan Islands. In 1636 Fort Pilar, in honor of Our Lady of the Pillar, was constructed by priest-engineer Fr. de Vera. Jesuit Frs. Francesco Palliola and Alejandro Lopez died as martyrs in their efforts to win the tribespeople through diplomacy. The establishment of Fort Pilar gave birth to the future city of Zamboanga.

On January 20, 1933, Pope Pius XI divided Mindanao into two areas. Southern Mindanao including the Sulu Archipelago became under the jurisdiction of Zamboanga. Northern Mindanao became under the Diocese of Cagayan de Oro. In 1951 Cagayan de Oro became an archdiocese, the first in the island of Mindanao. All episcopal jurisdictions in Mindanao and Sulu, including Zamboanga, became suffragans of this archdiocese.


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