A new chapter unfolded in the Diocese of Cubao on Tuesday with the episcopal ordination and installation of Bishop Elias Ayuban Jr. as their new shepherd.
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The occasion was a moving one, with the cathedral filled with the new bishop’s family, friends, and relatives, who joined the historic celebration.
Cardinal Jose Advincula of Manila served as the main consecrator and installation prelate, with 49 other bishops in attendance, including Papal Nuncio Archbishop Charles Brown.
The ceremony coincided with the feast of St. Francis Xavier, the patron saint of Catholic missions, adding special significance to the day.
The saint’s missionary work and dedication to spreading the Gospel diring his time resonated deeply with the new bishop, who is a Claretian missionary.
In his first address to the clergy and lay faithful of the diocese, Ayuban emphasized his commitment to the mission of evangelization and service, themes he vowed to carry forward in his new role as bishop.
“I would like to assure you that we will continue the best practices, improve what can be improved, and make innovations if only to be faithful to the promptings of the Holy Spirit,” Ayuban said.
Ayuban succeeds retired Bishop Honesto Ongtioco, who led the diocese since its establishment in 2003.
Cubao is one of the nine suffragans of the ecclesiastical province of Manila, including the dioceses of Antipolo, Imus, Kalookan, Malolos, Novaliches, Parañaque, Pasig and San Pablo.
Covering a land area of 76.14 square kilometers, the diocesan territory spans the southern part of Quezon City, largely corresponding to the city’s congressional districts 1, 3, 4, and 6.
The “city on a hill”, where Franciscan Friar San Pedro Bautista first planted the cross as the seed of Christianity in Quezon City, is also home to about 135 religious orders, congregations, and societies.
As bishop, he will set the direction of the diocese, oversee the spiritual growth of the congregation, and guide them in their faith journey.
The diocese currently has 56 clergy members and an estimated 1.4 million Catholics spread in 45 parishes, two quasi-parishes, and a mission station.