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CEBU CITY — The long-lost sacred pulpit panels of the Archdiocesan Shrine of Patrocinio de Maria Santisima in Boljoon town in Cebu are finally home.
Kept by private collectors for decades, four of the six original panels that were stolen have been turned over to the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Cebu during a ceremony at the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral Museum on Thursday.
Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma led the event alongside Cebu Auxiliary Bishop and Jaro Archbishop-Designate Midyphil "Dodong" Billones, Department of Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia-Frasco, Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia, National Museum of the Philippines (NMP) Chairman Andoni Aboitiz, and Boljoon Mayor Jojie Derama.
RECOVERED RELICS The four stolen pulpit panels of the Archdiocesan Shrine of Patrocinio de Maria Santisima in Boljoon are officially returned to the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Cebu on March 13, 2025. Missing since the 1980s, the sacred panels were retrieved after months of negotiations with the National Museum of the Philippines, with efforts still ongoing to recover the final missing piece. PHOTO BY KAISER JAN FUENTES
The turnover marked the culmination of efforts to reclaim the sacred artifacts, which had been missing since the 1980s. Of the six panels, five were reported stolen and the remaining one was later transferred by the church to the archdiocesan museum.
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Palma, a member of the Dicastery for Culture and Education, emphasized the deep religious significance of the pulpit panels.
He spoke about their vital connection to the Eucharist and the proclamation of the Word of God, explaining that the pulpit is not merely a decorative structure but a place where Scripture comes alive through preaching.
He said that in the pulpit, "the Word of God becomes alive," allowing it to be heard, understood, and made relevant to people's lives.
The return of the panels, he noted, restores not just a physical piece of history but a crucial element of the church's liturgical heritage.
The panels, featuring intricate carvings and religious iconography, were stolen decades ago and resurfaced in private collections before being donated to the NMP in 2024 by Edwin and Aileen Bautista.
However, their return to Boljoon was not immediate, as discussions between NMP and Cebu officials took months.
Garcia had firmly maintained that the artifacts belonged to the church and should not be considered "de-accessioned" museum pieces, a stance the NMP ultimately acknowledged.
Now back under the custody of the archdiocese, the four panels will be transported in a motorcade to Boljoon on Friday.
A public viewing will take place from March 14-18, allowing devotees and heritage enthusiasts to see the panels up close before they are installed back in the ambo of the church.
The official enshrinement will take place during a thanksgiving mass on March 21 to be celebrated by Palma.
The ceremony will include the blessing and unveiling of the panels, marking their full reintegration into the centuries-old church.
Before their installation, the Environmental Consultancy Services will conduct a conservation process, which includes carbon dating to determine the exact age of the materials. It will also determine the authenticity of the panels.
Despite the return of the four panels, Garcia said, one remains missing.
The governor, meanwhile, has reiterated her call for its return, even anonymously, emphasizing that the restoration remains incomplete without it.
In an earlier interview, the governor urged whoever holds the sixth panel to surrender it to the archdiocese or send it discreetly to the provincial capitol.
While the return of four panels marks significant progress in restoring Boljoon's historic pulpit, the absence of the final piece remains a reminder of what was taken and what has yet to be recovered.
