The Cathedral of St. Gregory the Great, also called the Albay Cathedral, is the Episcopal Seat of the Diocese of Legazpi. The cathedral started as a wooden chapel built by early Spanish missionaries who moved into the town in the 1580s. It was damaged by American bombers and reconstruction went beyond 1951. The church was elevated to become a cathedral when the Episcopal See of the Diocese of Legaspi was established.
St. Gregory the Great Cathedral and Mayon Volcano
The Diocese of Legazpi comprises the civil province of Albay, a province with a population of almost 1.19 million, 97 per cent of which are Catholics. The current bishop of the Diocese of Legazpi is Bishop Joel Z. Baylon, who was canonically installed last December 10, 2009. He is the sixth bishop of Legazpi. For its titular patron it has Our Lady Mother of Salvation, and for its secondary patron St. Gregory the Great.
The St. Gregory the Great Cathedral is one of the most prominent landmarks in the Old Albay District of Legazpi. It is located near the Peñaranda Park, Albay Capitol and the Legazpi City Hall. It is easily accessible from all points of the city.
St. Gregory the Great Cathedral Altar
St. Gregory the Great Cathedral on Good Friday Night
St. Gregory the Great Cathedral in the 1970s
Photos Courtesy of Dexter Baldon and the OFM Archives Philippines
View St. Gregory the Great Cathedral in a larger map
Climbing up to the summit of the Philippines’s most active volcano is truly an experience of a lifetime. Climbing up to the level close to the summit or an area commonly referred to as the knife’s edge is for the intermediate-expert climber or for one who is very fit. It normally takes two days and one night to reach the summit and it is essential that one have a competent and knowledgeable local guide.
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