The provincial government of Misamis Occidental welcomed a delegation of Catholic bishops on Tuesday with a tour of its historic religious landmarks.

In a statement, Gov. Henry Oaminal Sr. said the visit by members of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), along with a guest from Vatican City, was an opportunity to showcase the province’s rich heritage and tourism potential.

“We began our journey at the Cotta Shrine in Ozamiz City, where we prayed before the revered Birhen sa Cotta and shared the rich histories of both the sacred image and the shrine,” he said.

Oaminal was referring to the Nuestra Señora de la Inmaculada Concepción y del Triunfo de la Cruz, a fort built in 1755 by Spanish Jesuit priest Fr. Jose Ducos.

As a settler outpost, it served as a military stronghold, protecting the settlements from pirate attacks.

Oaminal also led the CBCP members to the San Juan Bautista Parish Church in Jimenez town.

The church was established by the Augustinian Recollects in 1829. Originally built elsewhere, it was relocated and the present hewn coral-stone structure was erected between 1862 and 1880 under Fr. Roque Azcona.

The church was declared a National Cultural Treasure in 2001.

The CBCP held its 132nd Plenary Assembly in Ozamiz City and invited Daniel Donini, Asia-Oceania Regional Expert of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors, as one of its resource speakers.

Donini led a session on safeguarding minors, an important mission of the Pontifical Commission, the Vatican body established by Pope Francis to strengthen the Church’s commitment to protecting children and to promote a culture of care and accountability worldwide. (PNA)