The Territorial Prelature of Batanes (in ) is a Latin Church pre-diocesan, non-missionary jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in the Philippines. It is a suffragan in the ecclesiastical province of the Archdiocese of Tuguegarao on Luzon island in the Philippines.
The Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception Cathedral is the episcopal seat of the territorial prelate, in Basco, Batanes. The current bishop-prelate is Danilo B. Ulep.
History The prelature was erected on 30 November 1950 as Territorial Prelature of Batanes Islands and Babuyan / Batanen(sis) et Babuyanen(sis) (Latin), on territory split off from the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Manila. On 29 June 1951 it became part of the ecclesiastical province of Archdiocese of Nueva Segovia. It became suffragan of the Archdiocese of Tuguegarao, its mother see, on 21 September 1974. On 6 February 2002, it was renamed Territorial Prelature of Batanes / Batanen(sis) (Latin adjective).
Coat of arms The silver crescent symbolizes the Immaculate Conception, the titular of the principal church in the prelature. The North Star together with the constellation of the Ursa Major denotes that the prelature covers the northern-most part of the Philippines. Cattle is the most important export product of Batanes and Babuyan Islands hence the bull on pasture. The agitated sea symbolizes the dangerous waters between these islands.
Episcopal ordinaries
Prelates of Batanes and the Babuyan Islands Ordinary Period in office Coat of arms1. Peregrin de la Fuente Nestar2 July 1951 appointed – 14 May 1966 death2. Mario de Leon Baltazar18 Nov 1966 appointed – 1995 resigned
Prelates of Batanes Bishop-prelates Period in office Coat of arms1. Jose Paala Salazar25 Apr 1996 appointed – 23 Nov 20022. Camilo Diaz Gregorio 13 Sept 2003 appointed – 20 May 2017 retired3. Danilo B. Ulep 20 May 2017 appointed – present
See also Catholic Church in the Philippines List of Catholic dioceses in the Philippines
References
Sources and external links GCatholic.org Catholic Hierarchy Prelature website