THE launching of the book – Beneath the Azure Sky: A History of the Archdiocese of Capiz (1951–2026) – that coincided with the 75th anniversary of the Archdiocese of Capiz. (Spirit FM Roxas)
ILOILO CITY—A book was launched to mark the 75th year of the Archdiocese of Capiz where Archbishop Jose Advincula Jr. came from before becoming the Archbishop of Manila.
Capiz Archbishop Victor B. Bendico led the July 11 launching of the Beneath the Azure Sky: A History of the Archdiocese of Capiz (1951–2026) by Fr. Dedert V. Duarte at the Immaculate Conception Metropolitan Cathedral in Roxas City.
Duarte’s work chronicles the history of the Roman Catholic Church in Capiz that started in 1566 with the arrival of Augustinian missionaries. It then outlined how the Diocese of Capiz was created in 1951 and the elevation to the Archdiocese of Capiz in 1976.
The book also highlighted Duarte’s research that led to the discovery of the real date of the canonical creation of the Diocese of Capiz: July 11, 1951 and not May 28, 1951. This finding was backed up by Vatican documents including the Papal Nuncio’s records.
Aside from historical milestones, the book also documents the presence of Catholic schools, seminaries, charitable institutions, and social action programs by the Catholic Church in Capiz.
Duarte was also able to include spiritual-based traditions of Catholics in Capiz, including their devotion to Mary and as well as Holy Week practices and the local tradition known as “considerad.”