After four long decades, the missing pulpit panels of the Archdiocesan Shrine of Patrocinio de Maria Santisima, or Boljoon Church, in Cebu have finally come home.
The Archdiocese of Cebu announced the long-awaited return on Facebook, sharing that the National Museum of the Philippines (NMP) handed over the four panels, which now join the one already housed at the parish.
In early 2024, the NMP revealed that it had acquired the early 19th-century panels, depicting the founder of the Augustinian Order, from private collectors Edwin and Aileen Bautista.
Upon learning this, the Archdiocese of Cebu immediately asserted its ownership, stating that the panels had been removed from the church without permission from then Cebu Archbishop Ricardo Cardinal Vidal.
This led to a series of dialogues between the NMP and the archdiocese, ultimately resulting in the decision to return the panels to their rightful home.
To celebrate the historic homecoming, the archdiocese has planned a series of events that includes a public viewing of the panels from March 14 to 18.
Their formal installation in the church’s pulpit will take place on March 19 and 20, followed by a Thanksgiving Mass on March 21, presided over by Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma. The event will conclude with the blessing and unveiling of the restored pulpit panels.
