Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle officially assumed on Saturday his role as the titular bishop of the diocese of Albano in Italy, representing a vital milestone in his religious journey, according to the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP).
Cardinal Tagle was appointed by Pope Leo XIV as the new titular bishop of the Suburbicarian Diocese of Albano on May 24, 2025, succeeding the Pope himself who previously held the title.
The CBCP said the Diocese of Albano is one of seven suburbicarian sees historically associated with cardinal bishops, the highest-ranking order within the College of Cardinals.
“While the title is conferred on a cardinal, the diocese continues to have its own resident bishop and administration,” the CBCP said.
The ceremony at the Albano Cathedral, according to the Pontificio Collegio Filippino (PCF), was presided by diocesan bishop Vincenzo Viva and attended by local clergy and lay faithfuls.
Tagle was accompanied by a large group of Filipinos, including members of his family, residents of the PCF, and members of the Filipino community in Italy. Two other cardinals, three bishops, and about a hundred priests concelebrated the Mass.
The event carried double significance due to a recent Filipino ecclesiastical anniversary and a notable date in the Church calendar.
PCF rector Fr. Gregory Ramon Gaston said the ties between the Filipino college and the Diocese of Albano date back to the college’s foundation.
He said it was Cardinal Giuseppe Pizzardo, then cardinal bishop of Albano and prefect of the Sacred Congregation of Seminaries and Universities, who laid the cornerstone of the new college-seminary, dedicated to Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage.
“This historical fact means that the cardinal bishop of Albano played a direct, foundational role in establishing the Collegio Filippino,” Gastons said.
The title had briefly been assigned to Cardinal Robert Prevost, who was scheduled to take possession on May 10 but was elected as Pope Leo XIV on May 8.
