The Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral is the ecclesiastical seat of the metropolitan archdiocese of Cebu. It honors as its patron Saint Vitalis, an ancient martyr whose feast day on April 28 coincides with the very same day that the image of the Santo Niño de Cebu was found almost 450 years ago by one of Miguel López de Legazpi’s men and the elevation of Cebu to an archdiocese.

Cebu was established as a diocese on August 14, 1595 and was elevated to an archdiocese on April 28, 1934 with Gabriel M. Reyes as the first archbishop. The dioceses of Dumaguete, Maasin, Tagbilaran, and Talibon are its suffragans.

Details of the pediment.

Construction of the cathedral took long due to frequent interruptions brought about by lack of funds and other unexpected events. At one point in time, funds meant for the building of the cathedral were diverted to the moro wars. The death of an incumbent bishop who spearheaded the construction/reconstruction and vacancies in the office were also factors.

The architecture of the church is typical with baroque colonial churches in the country — squat and with thick walls to withstand typhoon and other natural calamities. Having a cruciform layout, its facade features a trefoil-shaped pediment which is decorated with carved relieves of floral motifs, an IHS inscription, a shell symbolizing baptism, and a pair of griffins. The topmost part of the trefoil pediment contains two statues representing Faith and Hope. The Spanish Royal Coat of Arms is emblazoned in mid-relief above the main entrance owing perhaps to the contribution of the Spanish monarch to its construction.

Details of the new main altar retablo.

Much of the cathedral was destroyed by Allied bombings in World War II with only the belfry which was built in 1835, the facade, and the walls remaining. It was quickly rebuilt after the war by then Archbishop Gabriel M. Reyes. Archbishop Reyes would later on be transferred to Manila on 1949.

In 1982, a mausoleum was built at the back of the sacristy at the instance of Archbishop Julio Cardinal Rosales. It serves as a final resting place for the mortal remains of Cebu’s bishops and clergy. Cardinal Rosales himself, who died three months after the mausoleum was inaugurated, is buried there along with Archbishop Manuel Salvador, a coadjutor archbishop of Cebu, and Archbishop Mariano Gaviola, a Cebuano who became the archbishop of Lipa from 1981 to 1993. The mortal remains of Bishop Juan Gorordo, the first Filipino and Cebuano bishop of Cebu, are also interred in the mausoleum.

(Left) The pipe organ crafted by a Filipino organbuilding company in 1995.; (Right) A side altar depicting the martyrdom of Saint Vitalis.

The cathedral recently underwent a major renovation in time for the 75th anniversary of the archdiocese on April 28, 2009. A petition was also sent to Pope Benedict XVI for its elevation into a basilica minore in honor of Saint Vitalis.

In 2010 the cathedral was again renovated for the installation of Jose S. Palma as the new archbishop of Cebu, succeeding Ricardo Cardinal Vidal who had been archbishop for twenty-nine years.