Pope Francis appoints new archbishop of Jaro

Hours before the announcement of his new appointment, new Archbishop of Jaro Midyphil Billones led a Solemn Pontifical Mass and the blessing of candles at the Jaro Metropolitan Cathedral to the mark the February 2 Solemnity of Our Lady of Candles, the patroness of Jaro and Western Visayas. This photo was from the Archdiocese of Jaro’s Commission on Social Communications Facebook Page.
Hours before the announcement of his new appointment, new Archbishop of Jaro Midyphil Billones led a Solemn Pontifical Mass and the blessing of candles at the Jaro Metropolitan Cathedral to the mark the February 2 Solemnity of Our Lady of Candles, the patroness of Jaro and Western Visayas. This photo was from the Archdiocese of Jaro’s Commission on Social Communications Facebook Page.

ILOILO City – Pope Francis appointed Most Rev. Midyphil Billones, as the new Archbishop of Jaro on Sunday, February 2, coinciding with the Feast of Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria.

Billones, 55, was previously serving as the auxiliary bishop of Cebu. He succeeds the now-retired Archbishop Jose Romeo Lazo, who led the archdiocese for nearly seven years and submitted his resignation at age 76.

Fondly known as “Bishop Dodong”, Billones hails from Panay, Capiz, and becomes the 14th archbishop of Jaro. He will oversee the archdiocese, which includes Iloilo province, Iloilo City, and Guimaras.

Hours before the announcement of his new appointment, Billones led a Solemn Pontifical Mass and the blessing of candles at the Jaro Metropolitan Cathedral to the mark the Solemnity of Our Lady of Candles, the patroness of Jaro and Western Visayas.

Billones served the Archdiocese of Jaro in various roles, including as personal secretary to Archbishop Alberto Piamonte and his successor, Archbishop Angel Lagdameo.

He earned a Doctorate in Theology from the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome in 2011. He completed his Philosophy studies at St. Vincent Ferrer Seminary in Iloilo City and his Theology studies at Loyola School of Theology in Quezon City, where he also obtained a master’s degree in Theology.

In July 2019, Billones was appointed auxiliary bishop of Cebu and was ordained to the episcopate on August 27, 2019, at the Jaro Cathedral./PN

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