The Archdiocese of Cebu will witness a historic and grace-filled moment on Tuesday, Sept. 30, as Most Rev. Alberto ‘Abet’ Uy is formally installed as the fifth metropolitan archbishop of Cebu.
The solemn canonical possession and installation rites will take place at the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral at 9 a.m. It is expected to draw together an extraordinary gathering of prelates from across the Philippines and beyond.
According to the Archdiocese of Cebu, among those attending are high-ranking leaders of the Catholic Church: Apostolic Nuncio to the Philippines, Most Rev. Charles John Brown; Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle, Pro-Prefect of the Dicastery for Evangelization; Pablo Virgilio Cardinal David, President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines and Bishop of Kalookan; and Jose Cardinal Advincula, Archbishop of Manila.
Also joining are several archbishops from key ecclesiastical territories, including Archbishop Socrates Villegas of Lingayen-Dagupan, Archbishop Romulo Valles of Davao, Archbishop Rex Andrew Alarcon of Caceres, Archbishop John Du of Palo, and Archbishop Victor Bendico of Capiz, among others. Retired archbishops, such as Archbishop Antonio Ledesma, SJ, and Archbishop Leonardo Medroso, will also grace the celebration.
Dozens of bishops from Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao will be present, including Bishop Precioso Cantillas, Bishop Julito Cortes of Dumaguete, Bishop Crispin Varquez of Borongan, Bishop Mylo Hubert Vergara of Pasig, Bishop Dennis Villarojo of Malolos, and many more. Apostolic vicars and bishops emeriti are also expected to participate.
The installation of Uy marks a new chapter for the Archdiocese of Cebu, recognized as the cradle of Christianity in the Philippines. Cebu’s faithful, together with visiting prelates, are set to witness a moment of deep ecclesial unity as they celebrate the continuity of faith and mission in one of the country’s most historic archdioceses.
Uy was born and raised in Ubay town, Bohol. Pope Francis appointed Uy as the 7th bishop of Tagbilaran on October 13, 2016. He was consecrated on Jan. 5, 2017. /das