Roman Catholic Diocese of Legazpi

Diocese of Legazpi Dioecesis Legazpiensis Diyosesis kan Legazpi Diyosesis ng Legazpi
Location
Country	Philippines
Territory	Albay
Ecclesiastical province	Caceres
Metropolitan	Caceres
Coordinates	13.1384°N 123.7336°E / 13.1384; 123.7336
Statistics
Area	2,552 km2 (985 sq mi)
Population - Total - Catholics (including non-members)	(as of 2008) 1, 211, 422 1,169, 993 (96.6%%)
Parishes	45
Information
Denomination	Roman Catholic
Sui iuris church	Latin Church
Rite	Roman Rite
Established	29 June 1951
Cathedral	Saint Gregory the Great Cathedral
Patron saint	Our Lady of Salvation
Current leadership
Pope	Francis
Bishop	Joel Zamudio Baylon
Metropolitan Archbishop	Rolando Joven Tria Tirona
Vicar General	Ramon C. Tronqued
Bishops emeritus	Nestor Celestial Cariño Bishop Emeritus (2005-2007) Lucilo B. Quiambao Auxiliary Bishop Emeritus (1982-2009)
Map
Map of the Philippines, with the Diocese of Legazpi in the Province of Albay highlighted
Website
legazpidiocese.com

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Legazpi (Latin: Dioecesis Legazpiensis) is a diocese of the Latin Rite of the Roman 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.

Joel "Bong" Baylon 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 vicar-general, Ramón Tronqued, PC 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 Arms
1		Flaviano Barrechea Ariola	15 May 1952 appointed	27 November 1968 resigned
2		Teotimo Cruel Pacis, C.M.	23 May 1969 appointed	4 June 1980 resigned
3		Concordio Maria Sarte	12 August 1980 appointed	22 November 1991 died
4		José Crisologo Sorra	1 March 1993 appointed	1 April 2005 retired
5		Nestor Celestial Cariño	1 April 2005 appointed	7 November 2007 resigned
Sede Vacante - Apostolic Administrator		Lucilo Barrameda Quiambao	7 November 2007	1 October 2009
6		Joel Zamudio Baylon	1 October 2009 appointed	present

Auxiliary Bishops

#	Picture	Name	From	Until	Coat of Arms
1		Nestor Celestial Cariño	1978	1980 (appointed Bishop of Borongan)
2		Lucilo Barrameda Quiambao	1982	2009

Other priest 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