A Catholic diocese in northern Nueva Vizcaya has opened a new museum to help preserve its cultural and religious heritage for future generations.
Museo Dupax was established in the town of Dupax del Sur, within the grounds of the Saint Vincent Ferrer Parish Church, one of the oldest churches in northern Luzon.
Recently blessed and inaugurated by Bishop Jose Elmer Mangalinao, the museum offers visitors a glimpse into the Diocese of Bayombong’s past, present and future.
Like many museums, it houses a collection of historical artifacts. But what sets it apart is its identity as an “ecclesiastical museum.”
Msgr. Vicente Emilio Tugadi, parish priest and museum curator, said the museum serves as a testament to the diocese’s rich religious history.
“These are reminders for us of how it was in the past and it articulates the history of the diocese of Bayombong from its inception,” Tugadi said.
Among the museum’s features are 18th-century religious images and liturgical objects from various parishes across the diocese.
The church itself is a historical attraction — an 18th-century Baroque structure built by Dominican missionaries.
In 2021, the National Museum of the Philippines declared the church and its complex a national cultural treasure for its “outstanding architectural significance.”
