The Diocese of Legazpi (Latin: Dioecesis Legazpiensis) is a diocese of the Latin Church of the Catholic Church. It constitutes the entire province of Albay in the Philippines.
The diocese was erected in 1951, carved from territory of the Archdiocese of Cáceres, to which it is a suffragan. In 1974, the diocese was partitioned to form the Diocese of Virac.
Most Rev. Joel Baylon, D.D. is the current bishop of Legazpi, after serving as Bishop of Masbate. Prior to his appointment, Auxiliary Bishop of Legazpi Lucilo Quiambao had been the apostolic administrator of the diocese since Bishop Nestor Cariño's retirement in 2007. Baylon is assisted by his vicars-general, Ramón Tronqued, PC VG and Crispin Bernarte, VG.
Coat of arms The Mayon Volcano which towers over the city of Legazpi occupies the center of the shield. The papal cross surmounted by the nimbed dove symbolizes Saint Gregory the Great, the titular of the cathedral. The dove is an allusion to the testimony of Peter the Deacon who said that he oftentimes saw the Holy Ghost in the form of a dove hover above the saint while he dictated his works. The rose symbolizes Our Lady of Peñafrancia to whom all Bicolanos have a great devotion. The lily at the base represents the Immaculate Conception, the patroness of the principal church of Virac, Catanduanes in Catanduanes which belongs to the diocese (until 1974).
Bishops Ordinaries # Picture Name From Until Coat of arms1Flaviano Barrechea AriolaMay 15, 1952 appointedNovember 27, 1968 resigned 2Teotimo Cruel Pacis, C.M.May 23, 1969 appointedJune 4, 1980 resigned3Concordio Maria SarteAugust 12, 1980 appointedNovember 22, 1991 died4José Crisologo SorraMarch 1, 1993 appointedApril 1, 2005 retired5Nestor Celestial CariñoApril 1, 2005 appointedNovember 7, 2007 resigned Sede vacante - apostolic administratorLucilo Barrameda QuiambaoNovember 7, 2007October 1, 20096 Joel Zamudio BaylonOctober 1, 2009 appointedpresent
Auxiliary bishops # Picture Name From Until Coat of arms1Nestor Celestial Cariño19781980 (appointed bishop of Borongan)2 Lucilo Barrameda Quiambao19822009
Other priests of this diocese who became bishop José Crisologo Sorra, appointed bishop of Virac in 1974; later returned here as bishop Joel Zamudio Baylon, appointed bishop of Masbate in 1998; later returned here as bishop
See also Catholic Church in the Philippines
References
External links
Dioecesis Legazpiensis Catholic-Hierarchy.org