Archdiocese of Cotabato
| Metropolitan Archdiocese of Cotabato Archidioecesis Metropolitae Cotabatensis Kalakhang Arkidiyosesis ng Cotabato (Tagalog) Arkidiyosis Metropolitano sang Cotabato (Hiligaynon) Artsidiyosesis Metropolitano sa Cotabato (Cebuano) Arquidiócesis Metropolitano de Cotabato (Spanish) | |
|---|---|
| Catholic | |
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Cotabato Cathedral
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| Location | |
| Country | Philippines |
| Territory | Cotabato City; Maguindanao del Norte; Maguindanao del Sur; western Cotabato (Alamada, Aleosan, Banisilan, Libungan, Midsayap, Pigcawayan, Pikit); Sultan Kudarat (except for Columbio and Milbuk, Palimbang) |
| Ecclesiastical province | Cotabato |
| Statistics | |
| Area | 9,575 km2 (3,697 sq mi) |
| Population Total Catholics |
(as of 2021) 2,403,120 1,095,170[1] (45.6%) |
| Information | |
| Denomination | Catholic |
| Sui iuris church | Latin Church |
| Rite | Roman Rite |
| Cathedral | Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Cotabato |
| Current leadership | |
| Pope | Leo XIV |
| Metropolitan Archbishop | Charlie M. Inzon |
| Suffragans | Cerilo Allan U. Casicas (Marbel) Jose Colin M. Bagaforo (Kidapawan) |
| Bishops emeritus | Cardinal Orlando Quevedo (archbishop, 1998–2018) Angelito Lampon (archbishop, 2018–2025) |
| Map | |
| Jurisdiction of the metropolitan see within the Philippines | |
Archdiocese of Cotabato — The Metropolitan Archdiocese of Cotabato is a Latin Catholic metropolitan archdiocese of the Catholic Church on the island of Mindanao, the Philippines. The archdiocese includes Cotabato City, Maguindanao del Norte, Maguindanao del Sur, western Cotabato, and Sultan Kudarat (except for Columbio and Milbuk, Palimbang.
Its seat is the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Cotabato City. The Archbishop's Palace is at 158 Sinsuat Avenue, Rosary Heights, Cotabato City.
History
On 11 August 1950, the Territorial Prelature of Cotabato and Sulu was formed out of the Diocese of Zamboanga. The Territorial prelature included the three provinces of North Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat and Maguindanao.
On 28 October 1953 it was renamed Territorial Prelature of Cotabato when it lost territory to the new the Apostolic Prefecture of Sulu. It lost territory again on 17 December 1960 to establish the Territorial Prelature of Marbel.
On 5 November 1979, Pope John Paul II elevated the Diocese of Cotabato to the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Cotabato.
Ordinaries
Metropolitan archbishops
| Archbishop | Period in office | Coat of arms | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | 
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Gerard Mongeau, OMI | March 27, 1951 - 12 June 1976 (as territorial prelate of Cotabato and Sulu and territorial prelate of Cotabato) (25 years, 77 days) 12 June 1976 - 5 November 1979 (as bishop of Cotabato) (3 years, 146 days) 5 November 1979 - 14 March 1980 (as archbishop of Cotabato) (130 days) |
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| 2. |
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Philip F. Smith, OMI | 14 March 1980 - 30 May 1998 (18 years, 77 days) |
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| 3. | .png)
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Orlando B. Cardinal Quevedo, OMI | 30 May 1998 - 6 November 2018 (20 years, 160 days) |
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| 4. | 
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Angelito Lampon, OMI | (6 November 2018 – 8 September 2025)[2] (6 years, 306 days) |
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| 5. | 
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Charlie Malapitan Inzon, OMI | (8 September 2025[3] – present) (361 days) |
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Auxiliary bishops
| Bishop | Period in office | Coat of arms | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. |
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Antonino Francisco Nepomuceno | 11 July 1969 (appointed) - 11 December 1979 (resigned) | 
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| 2. | 
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José Colin Mendoza Bagaforo | 2 Feb 2006 (appointed) - 25 July 2016 (appointed bishop of Kidapawan) | 
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Province
Its ecclesiastical province comprises the metropolitan's own archbishopric and the suffragan dioceses of Kidapawan and Marbel.
Suffragan dioceses
| Diocese | Bishop | Period in office | Coat of arms | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Kidapawan (Cotabato and Maguindanao) |
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Jose Colin Mendoza Bagaforo | September 6, 2016 – present (9 years, 363 days) |
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Marbel (South Cotabato, General Santos, Sarangani and Sultan Kudarat) |
Cerilo Uy Casicas | July 11, 2018 – present (8 years, 55 days) |
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Religious congregations in the archdiocese
- Men
- Congregation of the Passion (Passionist Fathers)
- Oblates of Mary Immaculate
- Society of Mary or Marist Fathers
- Little Brothers of Mary or Marist Brothers
- Women
- Oblates of Notre Dame
- Religious of the Virgin Mary
- Siervas de la Nuestra Senora dela Paz
- Dominican Sisters of Saint Catherine of Siena
- Religious des Notre Dame de Missions
- Carmelite Sisters of Charity
- Passionist sisters
- Associates of Notre Dame
- Xaverian Missionaries of Christ Jesus with missions in Pastoral and Social Services in the Sanitarium and Provincial Jail in Cotabato and in Langgal, Senator Ninoy Aquino, Sultan Kudarat Province
- Lay congregation
- Order of Augustinian Discalced (OAD Lay)
See also
Canonical status and jurisdiction
Archdiocese of Cotabato is a metropolitan archdiocese of the Catholic Church.[4]
- Part of: Ecclesiastical Province of Cotabato
References
- Back to citation "Cotabato (Catholic Metropolitan Archdiocese)". gcatholic.org. Retrieved 2023-09-16.
- Back to citation "Rinunce e nomine, 06.11.2018". Bolletino Quotidiano (in Italian). Sala Stampa della Santa Sede. Retrieved 6 November 2018.
- Back to citation Villegas, Charm (September 8, 2025). "Pope appoints new Cotabato archbishop". CBCP News. Retrieved September 8, 2025.
- Back to citation Wikidata item Q1364384