Daet Cathedral, also known as Most Holy Trinity Cathedral, is the ecclesiastical seat of the Diocese of Daet located in Gahonon, Daet, Camarines Norte, Philippines.
Table of Contents
History
Daet comes from the word “dait” or “taid”, which describes how the pre-colonial settlement was composed of huts clustered together to provide security. Its area was mostly lush, remote wilderness. Spanish colonial authorities established Tierra de Camarines that encompassed the present-day Camarines Sur and Camarines Norte. It was then divided into two and only to be merged several times in the course of history, beginning in 1829. Finally in 1919, the government under American control dissolved the region and that gave birthed to the two provinces that we know today.
The Spaniards introduced Christianity in the Bicol region through the Augustinian missionary Fray Alonso Jimenez, OSA in 1569. Spanish colonizer Manuel de la Estrada was responsible in implementing Hispanic control over Daet and he aided the construction of the early church and other structures.
The mission in Bicol was assigned to the Franciscans and it remained so until the end of the Spanish colonial control. In Daet, Franciscans established the mission and dedicated the church to the titular St. John the Baptist in 1581, but they soon left due to a lack of ministers. In 1611, the parish of St. John the Baptist was erected with Fray Alfonso de Valderama as the first parish priest.
In the latter part of the 17th century, the secular clergy assumed administration of the parish. Their assignment was met with unfavorable sentiment among the faithful and even among the secular priests. However, the parish remained under the secular administration until the 19th century. According to historical records, its spacious church and rectory was made of wood. Plans were underway to rebuilt the house of worship into one made of stone in 1790.
The churches in Tierra Camarines was under the Diocese of Manila until it was placed under the newly erected Diocese of Caceres on August 14, 1595 through the papal bull “Super specula militantis ecclesiae” during the time of Pope Clement VIII. The diocese extended beyond Bicol and it included present-day provinces of Quezon, Masbate, and Catanduanes. The diocese was reduced in later years, beginning in 1910 when the Diocese of Lipa was canonically erected.
The Diocese of Caceres was elevated by Pope Pius XII into an archdiocese with the dioceses of Legazpi and Sorsogon as suffragans through the papal bull “Quo in Philippina Republica” on June 29, 1951. On May 27, 1974, the Diocese of Daet was established through Pope Paul VI’s “Requirit Maximopere”. It was canonically erected on September 1, 1974 and Msgr. Cellestino R. Enverga, D.D. was installed as its first bishop. Its ecclesiastical jurisdiction comprised the whole province of Camarines Norte.
The site where the Most Holy Trinity Cathedral stands was a property donated by the Magana Family during the time of Msgr. Antonino O. Reganit. Its deed of donation was signed on January 25, 1970. Msgr. Reganit also undertook the building of a Pro-Cathedral of Christ the King, the precursor of the present-day cathedral, and other projects.
Upon the elevation of Daet into a diocese in the following year, Bishop Enverga continued the construction projects and expanded the complex to include other buildings including a library, museum, and printing press. The Cathedral Church was consecrated by Archbishop Jose T. Sanchez of the Archdiocese of Nueva Caceres on September 1, 1984 with the titular Most Holy Trinity.
For years, to address the growing populations, plans were submitted to divide Daet into two parishes. The diocese had since overseen the erection of parishes situated within one municipality such as the cases in Jose Panganiban, Paracale, and Mercedes. On August 17, 1991, the Most Holy Trinity Cathedral was instituted as an independent parish during the time of Bishop Benjamin Almoneda.
It is the biggest church in the Vicariate of St. John, although the Jubilee Page of the Diocese mentioned that it was a “church… but is not a parish.”
Architecture
The cathedral’s facade is pierced with stained glass panes on dark-red wall and designed with a massive crucifix. It is framed by three walls of distinctive stones that are arranged in recessed. Its entrance, which is accessed by a few steps, is covered by a slab of roof overhang. The quadrangular bell tower is located in the gospel side on the church ground.
Celebration
The feast of the Most Holy Trinity is on the first of May.
Services
The cathedral office is open 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM Monday to Friday. On Saturday, it is open 9:00 AM to 12:00 NN.
Mass schedule
Below is the weekly mass schedule of Daet Cathedral from June 2, 2025 to June 8, 2025. Please reach out to the church for an updated schedule. Additionally, you may also want to view mass schedules of churches in Daet.
Monday
- 6:30-7:30 AM (English)
Tuesday
- 6:30-7:30 AM (Tagalog)
Wednesday
- 6:30-7:30 AM (English)
Thursday
- 6:30-7:30 AM (Tagalog)
Friday
- 6:30-7:30 AM (English)
Saturday
- 6:30-7:30 AM (Bicol - Devotion to Our Lady of Peñafrancia)
- 5:30-6:30 PM (Tagalog - Anticipated Mass)
Sunday
- 7:00-8:00 AM (Tagalog)
- 9:30-10:30 AM (English - Online)
- 3:30-4:30 PM (Tagalog)
- 5:30-6:30 PM (English - Online)
Church information
| Details | |
|---|---|
| Name | Daet Cathedral |
| Other Names | Most Holy Trinity Cathedral |
| Address | Cathedral Compound, Barangay Gahonon, Daet, Camarines Norte 4600 |
| Country | Philippines |
| Contact | (054) 885 3206 |
| cathedraldaet20@gmail.com | |
| www.facebook.com | |
| Religion | |
| Declared as cathedral | September 1, 1971 |
| Declared as parish | August 17, 1991 |
| Age as parish | 34 years |
| Archdiocese | Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Caceres |
| Diocese | Diocese of Daet |
| Vicariate | Vicariate of St. John the Baptist |
| Patron | Most Holy Trinity |
| Feast day | May 1 |
| Architecture | |
| Consecrated | September 1, 1984 |
Nearby Churches
References
- Diocese of Daet: Through the Years. Diocese of Daet. Retrieved via Archives.org on May 12, 2025
- Parishes. Diocese of Daet. Retrieved via Archives.org on May 12, 2025
- Cathedral – Museo Bulawan Official Website”. Museo Bulawan. Retrieved May 12, 2025
- History. Archdiocese of Caceres. Retrieved May 12, 2025
- Daryl I. Quinito, Marilou D. Tino. Unfolding the History of the Quadricentennial Roman Catholic Churches in the Province of Camarines Norte. RSS International. Published March 24, 2024. Retrieved May 21, 2025
- St. Most Holy Trinity Cathedral (Daet, Camarines Norte). Museo Bulawan. Retrieved June 8, 2025
- Diocese of Daet Golden Jubilee Year. Retrieved June 8, 2025