Diocese of Borongan (history)
History of Diocese of Borongan
The historical beginnings of the diocese can be traced as far back as 1595 when the Jesuits from mission centers in Leyte evangelized the southern portion of the island of Samar. The eastern coastal inhabitants, on the other hand, were evangelized by the Jesuits from their missions. In Catubig, or Palapag on the northern coast of the island of Samar.The missionaries educated the inhabitants in the faith, raised stone churches, and protected the people from the Muslim raids from the south. The major settlements then were Bacod (now Dolores), Tubig (Taft), Sulat, and Libas, (now San Julian), Borongan, Guiuan and Balangiga.When the Jesuits moved out of the country in 1768, the Franciscans took over the parishes except for two which went to the Augustinians. But a parish life had already evolved. And before the end of the Spanish regime, there were already 11 towns with parishes in the territory of what is now Eastern Samar, constituting a vicariate under the jurisdiction of the Diocese of CebuOn April 10, 1910, Pope Pius X separated Samar and Leyte from the Diocese of Cebu, and formed them into one diocese, with Calbayog as its episcopal see.On October 22, 1960 Pope John XXIII created the Diocese of Borongan, installing Most Reverend Vicente Reyes, D.D., then Auxiliary Bishop of Manila, as the First Residential Bishop of Borongan. On June 19, 1965, the island of Samar was politically divided and the province of Eastern Samar was born. On December 5, 1974 Pope Paul VI established the Diocese of Catarman. Thus the island of Samar now has three dioceses, following its political division: that of Calbayog for Western Samar, that of Catarman for Northern Samar, and that of Borongan for Eastern Samar.The population of Eastern Samar is made up of 374,225 people, 97 per cent of whom are Catholics. The province is bounded on the east by the Pacific Ocean, on the north by Northern Samar, on the west by Western Samar, and on the south
The historical beginnings of the diocese can be traced as far back as 1595 when the Jesuits from mission centers in Leyte evangelized the southern portion of the island of Samar. The eastern coastal inhabitants, on the other hand, were evangelized by the Jesuits from their missions. In Catubig, or Palapag on the northern coast of the island of Samar.The missionaries educated the inhabitants in the faith, raised stone churches, and protected the people from the Muslim raids from the south. The major settlements then were Bacod (now Dolores), Tubig (Taft), Sulat, and Libas, (now San Julian), Borongan, Guiuan and Balangiga.When the Jesuits moved out of the country in 1768, the Franciscans took over the parishes except for two which went to the Augustinians. But a parish life had already evolved. And before the end of the Spanish regime, there were already 11 towns with parishes in the territory of what is now Eastern Samar, constituting a vicariate under the jurisdiction of the Diocese of CebuOn April 10, 1910, Pope Pius X separated Samar and Leyte from the Diocese of Cebu, and formed them into one diocese, with Calbayog as its episcopal see.On October 22, 1960 Pope John XXIII created the Diocese of Borongan, installing Most Reverend Vicente Reyes, D.D., then Auxiliary Bishop of Manila, as the First Residential Bishop of Borongan. On June 19, 1965, the island of Samar was politically divided and the province of Eastern Samar was born. On December 5, 1974 Pope Paul VI established the Diocese of Catarman. Thus the island of Samar now has three dioceses, following its political division: that of Calbayog for Western Samar, that of Catarman for Northern Samar, and that of Borongan for Eastern Samar.The population of Eastern Samar is made up of 374,225 people, 97 per cent of whom are Catholics. The province is bounded on the east by the Pacific Ocean, on the north by Northern Samar, on the west by Western Samar, and on the south