Naga City Metropolitan Cathedral, also popularly known as Naga Cathedral and officially the Metropolitan Cathedral and Parish of Saint John the Evangelist, is the ecclesiastical seat of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Caceres.
The cathedral is located in Naga City, Camarines Sur, Philippines. Considered one of the oldest four cathedrals in the Philippines, it was founded in 1595 and the present-day edifice was built in the 19th century.
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History
The cathedral was established after the Diocese of Caceres was erected by virtue of a papal bull on August 14, 1595. Its first bishop was a Franciscan friar, Bishop Luis Maldonaldo, OFM, who died in 1599. The elevation of Nueva Caceres as a diocese likewise coincided the transformation of then Diocese of Manila into an archdiocese, and its suffragans also included the Diocese of Cebu and Diocese of Nueva Segovia of Ilocos Sur.
The Spaniards nearly abandoned Nueva Caceres, the old name of Naga City, for its lack of economic viability in 1690.
The church was razed in a fire that engulfed in 1768. The building of the present-day stone house of worship began in 1808. Designed in Spanish Romanesque-Revivalist style, its construction was initiated by Bishop Bernardo dela Concepcion and completed and blessed in the same year by Monsigneur Tomas Ladron de Guevarra in 1843. It was built using quarried volcanic stones.
Throughout its history, it suffered damages from typhoon (October 1856) and earthquake (1887). Hence, it underwent repairs during the time of Fr. Francisco Gainza between 1862 and 1879 and Obras Publicas through the instructions of Bishop Arsenio Campo and Engineer Ricardo Ayoso in 1890.
In April 1897, it was again restored during the term of Bishop Leonardo Zamora Legaspi and Fr. Jaime M. San Andres. On February 6, 1988, the cathedral was inaugurated and dedicated once again.
The Naga City Metropolitan Cathedral is a heritage structure, and the Philippine Historical Committee installed a Level II historical marker in 1939.
Architecture
The cathedral is made of quarried volcanic stones, producing a dark complexion on its Romanesque-Revivalist structure with Spanish Baroque touches. It is laid out in a cruciform footprint, with a pyramidal roof over its crossing.
The church’s facade and the towers flanking it rise to four floors. It is embellished by paired embedded Doric columns, arches, triglyph, dentil, and arch openings. Flanking the wide arch-portal of its primary entrance are niches of holy figures. A glazed window is found in the upper level depicting the Holy Spirit. The pediment is crowned with a cupola, and it bears a clock and two stone statues.
The opposite outermost walls recede at an angle, giving way to an octagonal belfry crowned with a dome and cupola.
Celebration
The feast day of Saint John the Evangelist is February 6.
Services
The office is open between 8:00 AM and 5:00 PM with no noon break from Mondays to Saturdays. On Sunday, it is open 8:00 AM to 12:00 NN.
Baptism schedule is 11:00 AM and 4:00 PM from Mondays to Saturdays. On Sunday, it is at 11:00 AM only.
Holy Hour and Confession is at 4:30 PM every first Friday.
Wedding schedule is set by appointment, sick calls are available any time of the day, and inquiries for confirmations may be done by visiting the Archbishop’s Palace.
Masses are also heard in the following venues and schedule:
- Nava City People’s Mall: 12:00 -1:00 PM from Tuesday to Sunday
- Barangay Bagumbayan Sur: 5:00-6:00 PM every Saturday
- Barangay Santa Cruz: 7:00-8:00 PM every third Wednesday
- Barangay Dinaga: 4:00-5:00 PM every last Friday
- Sitio Paraiso: 7:00-8:00 PM every Saturday
Mass schedule
Below is the weekly mass schedule of Naga City Metropolitan Cathedral in Naga City, Camarines Sur from May 12, 2025 to May 18, 2025. Please reach out to the church for an updated schedule. Additionally, you may also want to view mass schedules of churches in Naga City.
Monday
- 5:30-6:30 AM (Bikol)
- 6:30-7:30 AM (Bikol - FB and YouTube Livestream)
- 7:30-8:30 AM (English)
- 5:30-6:30 PM (English)
Tuesday
- 5:30-6:30 AM (Bikol)
- 6:30-7:30 AM (Bikol - FB and YouTube Livestream)
- 7:30-8:30 AM (English)
- 5:30-6:30 PM (English)
Wednesday
- 5:30-6:30 AM (Bikol)
- 6:30-7:30 AM (Bikol - FB and YouTube Livestream)
- 7:30-8:30 AM (English)
- 5:30-6:30 PM (English)
Thursday
- 5:30-6:30 AM (Bikol)
- 6:30-7:30 AM (Bikol - FB and YouTube Livestream)
- 7:30-8:30 AM (English)
- 5:30-6:30 PM (English)
Friday
- 5:30-6:30 AM (Bikol)
- 6:30-7:30 AM (Bikol - FB and YouTube Livestream)
- 7:30-8:30 AM (English)
- 5:30-6:30 PM (English)
Saturday
- 5:30-6:30 AM (Bikol)
- 6:30-7:30 AM (Bikol - FB and YouTube Livestream)
- 7:30-8:30 AM (English)
- 3:00-4:00 PM (Bikol)
- 4:30-5:30 PM (Bikol - FB and YouTube Livestream)
- 6:00-7:00 PM (English)
Sunday
- 4:30-5:30 AM (Bikol)
- 6:00-7:00 AM (Bikol - FB and YouTube Livestream)
- 7:30-8:30 AM (English)
- 9:00-10:00 AM (English)
- 10:30-11:;30 AM (Filipino)
- 12:00-1:00 PM (English)
- 3:30-4:30 PM (Bikol)
- 5:00-6:00 PM (Bikol - FB and YouTube Livestream)
- 6:30-7:30 PM (English)
- 8:00-9:00 PM (English)
Church information
| Details | |
|---|---|
| Name | Naga City Metropolitan Cathedral in Naga City, Camarines Sur |
| Address | Elias Angeles Street, Naga City, Camarines Sur 4400 |
| Country | Philippines |
| Contact | (054) 881 2042 |
| www.facebook.com | |
| Website | www.archdioceseofcaceres.org |
| Religion | |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| Established | 1595 |
| Age | 430 years |
| Status | Cathedral, Parish |
| Declared as cathedral | August 14, 1595 |
| Archdiocese | Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Caceres |
| Vicariate | Vicariate of St. John the Evangelist |
| Patron | St. John the Evangelist |
| Feast day | February 6 |
| Architecture | |
| Heritage | Heritage Church |
| Style | Romanesque-Revivalist, Baroque |
| Tower | 2 |
Nearby Churches
- Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church in Carolina, Naga City, Camarines Sur
- Our Lady of Peñafrancia Church in Naga City, Camarines Sur
- San Francisco de Assisi Church in Peñafrancia Avenue, Naga City, Camarines Sur
- San Lorenzo Ruiz de Manila Church in Naga City, Camarines Sur
- St. Anthony of Padua Church in Camaligan, Camarines Sur
- St. Therese of Calcutta Church in Marupit, Camaligan, Camarines Sur
References
- Parishes. Archdiocese of Caceres. Retrieved March 30, 2024
- Cathedral of Naga. National Historical Commission of the Philippines. Retrieved April 1, 2024
- Rey Anthony Ostria. New book on Naga cathedral sheds light on Bicol clergy history. Philippine Daily Inquirer. May 6, 2019. Retrieved April 1, 2024
- Fr. Ric Anthony Reyes, OSA. Fray Pedro de Agurto, OSA: The first Bishop of Cebu. The Freeman. October 12, 2014. Retrieved April 1, 2024