Roman Catholic Diocese of Borongan
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Diocese of Borongan Dioecesis Boronganensis Diyosesis han Borongan |
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| Location | |
| Country | Philippines |
| Ecclesiastical province | Palo |
| Metropolitan | Palo |
| Statistics | |
| Area | 4,339 km2 (1,675 sq mi) |
| Population - Total - Catholics |
(as of 2012) 496,000 465,000 (93.8%) |
| Parishes | 32 |
| Information | |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| Sui iuris church | Latin Church |
| Rite | Roman Rite |
| Established | 22 October 1960 |
| Cathedral | Cathedral of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Borongan |
| Current leadership | |
| Pope | Francis |
| Bishop | Crispin Barrete Varquez |
| Metropolitan Archbishop | John F. Du |
| Vicar General | Lope C. Robredillo |
| Episcopal Vicars | Dan Gañas Leroy Geli Joberto Picardal |
| Website | |
| Website of the Diocese | |
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Borongan (Lat: Dioecesis Boronganensis) is a Roman Rite diocese of the Latin Church of the Catholic Church in the Philippines.
Erected in 1960, from territory in the Diocese of Calbayog, the diocese is a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Palo.
The Diocese of Borongan was created on October 22, 1960 by Pope John XXIII. Bishop Vicente Reyes was the first diocesan bishop of Borongan. On June 19, 1965, the island of Samar was politically divided and the province of Eastern Samar was born thus the island of Samar has three dioceses: Calbayog for Western Samar, Catarman for Northern Samar and Borongan for Eastern Samar.
Eastern Samar has a population of 374,255, 97 percent are Catholics.. It is subdivided into 1 city and 22 municipalities. It has a land area of 4,470.75 square kilometers. It is bounded on the north by Northern Samar, on the east by the Philippines Sea, on the west by Western Samar and on the south by Leyte Gulf. The Diocese of Borongan is divided into three regions, each has two vicariates. The diocese has 26 parishes, ministered by 60 diocesan and five religious priests. Borongan is the seat of the episcopal see.
The diocese has experienced no jurisdictional changes.
The current bishop is Crispin Barrete Varquez, appointed in 2007.
THOUGH the Estehanons’ first recorded encounter with Christianity occurred on March 16, 1521 when Magellan’s expedition reached Homonhon island, the historical beginnings of the Diocese of Borongan may be traced to as far back as 1585 when Augustinians set foot on Eastern Samar, but especially 1595 when Jesuits from Dagami, Leyte, systematically preached the gospel to the natives of the southern part of the island. The people in the eastern littorals, on the other hand, were evangelized by Jesuits from Catubig and, later, Palapag as early as 1601. In spreading the Christian religion, the missionaries initiated the reduccion of the population and founded towns, educated the inhabitants in the faith, raised stone churches, taught agriculture, and protected the faithful from Muslim raids. The major bungtos at that time were Bacod (now part of Dolores river bed), Jubasan (now Giboangan, Can-avid), Sulat, Libas, Borongan, Guiuan and Balangiga. On the whole, there was no stiff opposition to the reception of Catholic faith. After half a century, however, the mission suffered a major setback in the Sumuroy rebellion in 1649.
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