Diocese of Sorsogon, Philippines 🇵🇭

Continent: South and East Asia

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Type: Diocese Diocese

Name: Sorsogon / Sorsogonen(sis) (Latin)

Ecclesiastical Province: Caceres

Neighbouring Dioceses: Masbate (↙), Legazpi (↖), Virac (↑), Catarman (↘)

Depends on: Dicastery for Bishops

Celebrations

Patron Saint: Saint Peter and Saint Paul of Tarsus (June 29)

Cathedral Dedication Anniversary: April 27

Liturgical Calendar (National) 📅

History

1951.06.29: Established as Diocese of Sorsogon / Sorsogonen(sis) (Latin) (from Diocese of Nueva Caceres and became suffragan of Caceres)
1968.03.23: Lost territory to establish Diocese of Masbate

Present Prelates

Bishop (2019.10.15 – ...):

Bishop Jose Alan Verdejo Dialogo (63)

Ordinaries

Bishops of Sorsogon (Roman Rite)

Bishop Jose Alan Verdejo Dialogo (63)
(2019.10.15 – ...)

Bishop of Sorsogon (Philippines)

Fiat

Born:	1962.07.10 (Lagonoy, Philippines)
Ordained Priest:	1996.07.31
Consecrated Bishop:	2019.12.12

Priest of Manila (Philippines) (1996.07.31 – 2019.10.15)

Bishop of Sorsogon (Philippines) (2019.10.15 – ...)

Bishop Arturo Mandin Bastes, S.V.D.
(2003.04.16 – 2019.10.15)

Gressus meos diriget

Born:	1944.04.01 (Loboc, Philippines)
Ordained Priest:	1970.11.28
Consecrated Bishop:	1997.08.21
Died:	2024.10.20 (Cainta, Philippines † 80)

Bishop of Romblon (Philippines) (1997.07.03 – 2002.07.25)

Coadjutor Bishop of Sorsogon (Philippines) (2002.07.25 – 2003.04.16)

Bishop of Sorsogon (Philippines) (2003.04.16 – 2019.10.15)

Bishop Jesus Yu Varela
(1980.11.27 – 2003.04.16)

Dum spiro spero

Born:	1927.12.18 (Bacolod, Philippines)
Ordained Priest:	1956.03.17
Consecrated Bishop:	1967.04.30
Died:	2018.02.23 (Pasay City, Philippines † 90)

Titular Bishop of Tatilti (1967.03.28 – 1971.02.17)

Auxiliary Bishop of Zamboanga (Philippines) (1967.03.28 – 1971.02.17)

Bishop of Ozamiz (Philippines) (1971.02.17 – 1980.11.27)

Bishop of Sorsogon (Philippines) (1980.11.27 – 2003.04.16)

Bishop Arnulfo Surtida Arcilla
(1959.09.07 – 1979.12.11)

Pax in cordibus nostri

Born:	1922.08.15 (Virac, Philippines)
Ordained Priest:	1947.04.27
Consecrated Bishop:	1959.12.12
Died:	1992.10.26 († 70)

Bishop of Sorsogon (Philippines) (1959.09.07 – 1979.12.11)

Bishop Teopisto Valderrama Alberto (later Archbishop)
(1952.07.10 – 1959.09.07)

Ipsi gloriæ in sæcula

Born:	1912.09.19 (Bagamanoc, Philippines)
Ordained Priest:	1937.03.07
Consecrated Bishop:	1952.10.07
Died:	1996.05.02 († 83)

Bishop of Sorsogon (Philippines) (1952.07.10 – 1959.09.07)

Titular Archbishop of Amastris (1959.09.07 – 1965.04.06)

Coadjutor Archbishop of Caceres (Philippines) (1959.09.07 – 1965.04.06)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Caceres (Philippines) (1965.04.06 – 1983.10.20)

President of Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (C.B.C.P.) (1970 – 1974)

Former Prelates

Coadjutor Bishop: Bishop Arturo Mandin Bastes, S.V.D. (2002.07.25 – 2003.04.16)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Concordio Maria Sarte (1977.08.30 – 1980.08.12)

Special Churches

Cathedral: Sts. Peter and Paul Cathedral, Sorsogon City, Sorsogon, Bicol
Jubilee Churches in the Holy Year 2025

Churches by City (32)

Masbate (↙), Legazpi (↖), Virac (↑), Catarman (↘)

Statistics (2022.12.31)

Area: 2,141 km²

Population: 779,900 Catholics (93.0% of 838,600 total)

Pastoral Centres: 30 parishes

Personnel: 97 priests (78 diocesan, 19 religious), 163 religious (96 brothers, 67 sisters), 59 seminarians