Roman Catholic Diocese of Baguio

The Diocese of Baguio (Latin: Dioecesis Baghiopolitana) is a Latin Church suffragan diocese of the Catholic Church in the Philippines comprising the city of Baguio and the province of Benguet on Luzon island in the Philippines. Its see is the Our Lady of Atonement Cathedral in Baguio, Benguet, Cordillera Administrative Region.

It was first established in 1952 as the Apostolic Prefecture of Mountain Province, later elevated to an apostolic vicariate in 1948. It was later renamed as the Apostolic Vicariate of Baguio in 1992, and was elevated to a diocese in 2004 as a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Nueva Segovia. It is currently headed by the diocesan administrator, Roland P. Buyagan, after then-Bishop of Baguio, Victor Barnuevo Bendico, was appointed Archbishop of Capiz.

History
The diocese is one of the oldest ecclesiastical territories in the Philippines. It was established as the Apostolic Prefecture of Mountain Province (Latin: Praefectura Apostolica Montana) on July 15, 1932. The territory that the Diocese of Baguio now spans was split from the bishopric of Nueva Segovia.

On June 10, 1948, the apostolic prefecture was elevated to the Apostolic Vicariate of Mountain Province (Montañosa), entitling it to a titular bishop. The vicariate received a papal visit from John Paul II in February 1981.

In 1992, the vicariate was renamed the Apostolic Vicariate of Baguio, after ceding territories to form the Apostolic Vicariate of Bontoc-Lagawe and the Apostolic Vicariate of Tabuk.

On June 24, 2004, the vicariate was elevated into the Diocese of Baguio, losing its missionary pre-diocesan status and becoming a suffragan of its mother Archdiocese of Nueva Segovia.

Ordinaries and auxiliary episcopate
These ordinaries are all Latin Rite clergy, who are mostly members of missionary congregations.

Bishops
On June 20, 2024, Rafael Tambao-An Cruz was announced as the next bishop, replacing then Bishop Victor Barnuevo Bendico, who was elevated as Capiz Archbishop in May 2023. His episcopal ordination is set for September 7 at Dagupan Cathedral with Socrates Villegas as principal consecrator and Archbishop Charles John Brown. His installation is officially set on September 17, to be led by Archbishop Brown at Baguio Cathedral. Currently, Cruz is the head of Saint Ildephonse of Seville Parish Church (Malasiqui).

Sources and external links

 * GCatholic with incumbent biography links