ILOILO CITY – Pope Francis has appointed Cebu Auxiliary Bishop Midyphil Bermejo Billones as the new archbishop of the Archdiocese of Jaro here on Sunday, Feb. 2.

CEBU Auxiliary Bishop Midyphil Bermejo Billones during the Feast of Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria (Our Lady of Candles) in Iloilo City on Sunday, Feb. 2. Pope Francis appointed Billones as the new archbishop of the Archdiocese of Jaro. (Archdiocese of Jaro-Commission on Social Communications)
Billones’ appointment coincided with the Feast of Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria (Our Lady of Candles), the patroness saint of Western Visayas, in this city.
“The Holy Father Pope Francis has appointed His Excellency, Most Rev. Midyphil B. Billones, D.D., as the new archbishop of Jaro around 12 noon in Vatican City or 7 p.m. Philippine time,” the Archdiocese of Jaro-Commission on Social Communications said.
Billones was appointed hours after he presided over the Solemn Pontifical Mass at the Jaro Cathedral here in honor of Our Lady of Candles – the only Marian image canonically crowned by Saint John Paul II when he was the pope.
He highlighted the essence of Our Lady of Candles in his homily.
“She is our Lady of Hope…Our Mother, our sweetness, and our Hope. When you lose hope, look up and gaze upon our Mother – the Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria. She carries the Light, Christ, the Light of the World,” Billones told the faithful.
Billones is a native of Panay town, Capiz province. He studied at Saint Vincent Ferrer Seminary near the Jaro Cathedral. Billones will take over Archbishop Jose Romeo Lazo.