ZAMBOANGA CITY (MindaNews / 23 Aug)— The seventh Metropolitan Archbishop of Zamboanga City was installed Tuesday night in solemn rites at the Metropolitan Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception (MCIC).
The MCIC posted in its social page that the Most Reverend Julius Sallan Tonel was installed as Archbishop by His Eminence Jose Cardinal Advincula, Archbishop of Manila, as the Roman Catholic Church celebrated the Feast of the Queenship of Mary.
The Auxiliary Bishop of Zamboanga, the Most Rev. Moises Cuevas, will be the fourth Apostolic Vicar of the Apostolic Vicariate of Calapan in Mindoro.
Prior to his post in Zamboanga City, Archbishop Julius Tonel was designated Bishop of the Diocese of Ipil from August 20, 2007 to April 25, 2023.
Archbishop Tonel replaced Auxiliary Bishop Moises Cuevas, who was appointed apostolic administrator after Archbishop Romulo dela Cruz died in 2021.
Earlier archbishops of the MCIC were Archbishop Luis del Rosario (1958-1966), Archbishop Lino Gonzaga (1966-1973), Archbishop Francisco Cruces (1973-1994), Archbishop Carmelo Morelos (1994-2006), Archbishop Romulo Valles (2006-2012), and Archbishop Romulo dela Cruz (2014-2021).
Zamboanga as an archdiocese covers Zamboanga City, the Prelature of Ipil, and part of Zamboanga del Sur, extended as suffragans to the Vicariate of Jolo and the Prelature of Isabela in Basilan island.
It was on August 21 when then Bishop Tonel crossed over the boundary of Zamboanga Sibugay and Zamboanga City and was met by Auxiliary Bishop Cuevas, along with some members of the clergy and representatives of a handful of communities. (Frencie L. Carreon / MindaNews)