Tagbilaran Cathedral, Catholic cathedral in Tagbilaran, Philippines.
Tagbilaran Cathedral is a Catholic cathedral located in Poblacion I, in the city of Tagbilaran on the island of Bohol, Philippines. The building features thick stone walls, colored glass windows, and a freestanding bell tower that rises beside the main facade.
Jesuit missionaries founded the first church on this site in 1595, and the current building was constructed between 1787 and 1855. A strong earthquake in 2013 damaged the structure, and restoration work followed in the years after.
The cathedral is where people from across the region come for Sunday Mass, feast day processions, and major life events such as baptisms and weddings. On holy days, the square in front fills with worshippers who spill out beyond the church doors.
The cathedral stands near Carlos P. Garcia Avenue in the center of Tagbilaran and is easy to reach on foot from most points in the downtown area. It is open daily, though visiting outside of Mass times makes it easier to move around inside the building.
In 2021, Bishop Alberto Uy elevated the cathedral to the status of a diocesan shrine, which goes beyond the usual role of a parish or cathedral church. This means it is now officially recognized as a pilgrimage destination for the whole Diocese of Tagbilaran.
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