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Erected in 1966, as the territorial prelature of Bayombong, the prelature was elevated to a full diocese in 1982. In a land area of 6,961 square kilometers, the diocesan territory covers the civil provinces of Nueva Vizcaya and Quirino and is a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Tuguegarao. Dominic de Guzman, whose feast is celebrated in the diocese every first
Sunday of August.
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Albert van Overbeke, C.I.C.M. β (18 Nov 1966 Appointed - 15 Sep 1986 Resigned)
Ramon Barrera Villena (15 Sep 1986 Succeeded - 28 May 2016 Retired)
Jose Elmer Imas Mangalinao (24 May 2018 Appointed - Present )
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Domus Mariae Reginae Apostolorum (Clergy House)
Brgy. Luyang, Maharlika Highway 3700 Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya Office of the Chancellor
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Districts - 2
Vicariates - 3
Episcopal Vicars - 3
Parishes - 21
Priests' - 47 (14 RELIGIOUS)
Chapels/Missions - 180
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University - 1
High Schools - 13 (1 RELIGIOUS)
Elementary - 13 (1 RELIGIOUS)
Kindergarten - 13 (1 RELIGIOUS)
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The first Christian mission established in Nueva Vizcaya was that of Ituy in 1609. This sitio or barrio could have been anywhere between what is now the province of Cagayan in the north, and the mountains bordering Nueva Ecija in the south, because as the Spaniards colonized the Philippines, the entire Cagayan Valley, now Region II, was simply one province called Cagayan. The faith spread over the region through the efforts of the Augustinian and Dominican missionaries who came from areas now called Cagayan and Pangasinan. By 1717, Father Alejandro Cacho went on mission trips to Ituy, and slowly picked up once again whatever threads of Christianity had been left by the earlier missionaries. Within twenty years, with the help of the Augustinians, Father Cacho was able to baptize many Isinays and Ilongots, original inhabitants of the place, and build cogon chapels in some eight settlements in the Marang Valley. Over the years the settlements grew in number. Bujay, now the town of Aritao, and Dupax already had their resident priests. In 1739, Holy Mass was celebrated in Bayombong for the first time. The parishes of Bayombong, Bagbag and Dupax were established in 1741, and that of Solano soon after. In April of 1841 the province of Nueva Vizcaya was born, created as a politico-military province by royal decree from Spain. The original line dividing the valley into two β Cagayan and Nueva Ecija provinces β ran between Tumauini and Ilagan (now the capital of Isabela). The name Nueva Vizcaya came from that of a province in Spain called Vizcaya. The capital was the town of Camarag (now Echague in Isabela). In 1856, the province of Isabela was created, deriving half of its land from Cagayan, and half from Nueva Vizcaya. With this new partition, Bayombong became the new capital of Nueva Vizcaya. On Nov. 7, 1966, the Prelature of Bayombong was established. In 1972 Quirino was made a separate province. The prelature then comprised the civil provinces of Nueva Vizcaya and Quirino. On Nov. 18, 1966, Monsignor Alberto Van Overbeke, CICM, was appointed prelate and installed as such. In 1969 he was appointed Bishop-Prelate Ordinary, and ordained bishop in the same year. On Nov. 15, 1982, the prelature was elevated to a diocese, with Bishop Van Overbeke in charge. Because of ill health he asked for assistance and was given a coadjutor-bishop with the right of succession, in the person of Monsignor Ramon Villena. In 1987 Bishop Van Overbeke died and Bishop Ramon Villena became his successor. After the resignation of Bishop Villena, In 2016, Pope Francis appointed Sofronio Aguirre Bancud, SSS, DD, Bishop of Cabanatuan as Apostolic Administrator while he selected a new bishop. On May 24, 2018, the Pope appointed Jose Elmer I. Mangalinao, DD, Auxiliary Bishop of Lingayen-Dagupan as the Third Bishop of Diocese of Bayombong.
