St. Francis Xavier Cathedral, also called Kabankalan Cathedral, is the seat of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Kabankalan located in Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental, Philippines. It was established in the 19th century by the Augustinian Recollects.
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History
Christian mission in the island of Negros, pioneered by the Augustinians in the 16th century and later by the secular clergy, faced discontinuities and disruptions due to a lack of manpower, opposition by the natives, decrease in the size of population, and frequent raids by Moro pirates.
Fate changed for the better towards the 19th century as influx of migrants from other places like Panay began in earnest and fortification were erected along the coastlines as defense against attacks coming from the sea.
Kabankalan was mentioned as early as the 17th century in historical records, but it was the arrival of the Augustinian Recollects in 1848 that led to the spread of and sustained evangelization in the area. That same year, they also arrived in the towns of Amlan, Siaton, and Himamaylan.
On the account of its fecund lands, Kabankalan had a priest assigned to it right away. A church made of wood may have existed at that time. But the The Philippine Revolution interrupted the growth started by the Recollects.
After the revolution, the Recollects came back and assigned Fr. Tiburcio Fernandez in 1905. On December 15, 1935, the church built by Fr. Felipe Lerena within the city proper of Kabankalan was inaugurated and placed under the advocation of St. Francis Xavier.
The Recollects left in 1950 and the diocesan clergy took over. The church was burned in the great fire in 1986. It became cathedral when the Diocese of Kabankalan was created as it was separated from the Diocese of Bacolod on March 30, 1987.
Aside from the Recollects, the church also benefited from the missions by other congregations such as the Jesuits, Mill Hills Fathers, and Columbans.
In 2013, Bishop Patrick Buzon started the construction of a new cathedral in the village of Talubang and groundbreaking rites occurred on September 8, 2014. On September 8, 2022, the new St. Francis Xavier Cathedral was inaugurated.
Architecture
The new cathedral features an elevated floor, a pair of ramps, driveway, and staircases lead to its entrance. Much of its architecturally decorative elements include fluted columns, quadrefoil, arches, rose openings, and blind windows. A portico of paired Doric columns terminate in spires. Its top is enclosed by balustrade and it can be accessed through an arch portal from the choir loft. The pediment is grand and composed of three affairs: a central gable flanked by church-walls bounded by symmetrical volutes.
The facade is bordered by twin bell towers. Their base is pierced by arch and quarefoil-shaped windows. Then it rises to an octagonal lantern with peaks and balustrade and crowned with dome roof, cupola, and cross.
The entire cathedral is shaped into a cross with the apse a semicircular wall. Its nave is extended in either sides with open arches. On the primary nave, the clerestory has round openings. A big dome rises above its crossing.
Celebration
The feast of St. Francis Xavier falls on December 3.
Services
The parish office is open from 8:00 in the morning until 5:00 in the afternoon daily.
Mass schedule
Below is the weekly mass schedule of St. Francis Xavier Cathedral in Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental from June 9, 2025 to June 15, 2025. Please reach out to the church for an updated schedule. Additionally, you may also want to view mass schedules of churches in Kabankalan City.
Monday
- 6:00-7:00 AM
- 5:15-6:15 PM
Tuesday
- 6:00-7:00 AM
- 5:15-6:15 PM
Wednesday
- 6:00-7:00 AM
- 5:15-6:15 PM
Thursday
- 6:00-7:00 AM
- 5:15-6:15 PM
Friday
- 6:00-7:00 AM
- 5:15-6:15 PM
Saturday
- 6:00-7:00 AM
- 5:15-6:15 PM
Sunday
- 6:00-7:00 AM
- 8:00-9:00 AM
- 10:00-11:00 AM
- 4:30-5:30 PM
- 6:00-7:00 PM
Church information
| Details | |
|---|---|
| Name | St. Francis Xavier Cathedral in Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental |
| Other Names | Kabankalan Cathedral |
| Address | Tayum St., Kabankalan, Negros Oriental 6111 |
| Country | Philippines |
| Contact | 0929 154 8580 |
| www.facebook.com | |
| Religion | |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| Established | 1848 |
| Age | 177 years |
| Status | Cathedral, Parish |
| Declared as cathedral | March 30, 1987 |
| Archdiocese | Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Jaro |
| Diocese | Diocese of Kabankalan |
| Vicariate | Vicariate of Kabankalan |
| Patron | St. Francis Xavier |
| Feast day | December 3 |
| Architecture | |
| Groundbreaking | September 8, 2014 |
| Completed | 1935 |
| Age since completed | 90 years |
| Inauguration | September 8, 2022 |
| Belfry | 2 |
| Tower | 2 |
Nearby Churches
- Chaplaincy of Nuestra Señora dela Candelaria in Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental
- Christ the King Parish Church in Magballo, Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental
- Diocesan Shrine of St. Therese the Child Jesus in Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental
- Saint Joseph Husband of Mary, Quasi-Parish in Tabugon, Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental
- San Isidro Labrador Parish Church in Salong, Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental
- San Lorenzo Ruiz Quasi Parish Church in Tapi, Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental
- San Vicente Ferrer Chaplaincy in Binicuil, Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental
- St. John the Baptist Chaplaincy in Sonedco, Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental
References
- Kabankalan diocese inaugurates new cathedral. Catholic Bishops Conference in the Philippines. September 12, 2022. Retrieved January 22, 2023
- Romanillos, Emmanuel Luis A. (December 31, 2020). Augustinian Recollect Legacy to the Church in Negros Island. Philippine Social Science Journal. Retrieved January 22, 2023
- Diocese of Kabankalan. Union of Catholic Asian News. Retrieved January 22, 2023
- History of the Diocese of Kabankalan. Diocese of Kabankalan. Retrieved from original post on January 22, 2023
- Diocese of Kabankalan. Claretian Publication. Retrieved January 22, 2023
- Pablo Panedas OAR and Emmanuel Luis A. Romanillos. Cathedrals in the Philippines Constructed by Augustinian Recollects. Agustinos Recoletos. Retrieved January 22, 2023