MANILA — The first Filipino bishop appointed by the late Pope John Paul II has died. He was 89.
Retired Archbishop Edmundo Abaya of Nueva Segovia passed away at around 3 p.m. of September 20 at the Cardinal Santos Medical Center in San Juan City, according to an article posted on the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines' (CBCP) news website.
In 1953, he was ordained a priest for Nueva Segovia.
Abaya was named the third bishop of the Diocese of Laoag in 1978, which he served for two decades.
He was elevated as archbishop of Nueva Segovia in 1999, making him the first Ilocos Sur native to serve the post.
The Archbishop retired in 2005 after serving the pastoral ministry for 65 years.
Abaya also served as chairman of the CBCP’s Commission on Ecumenical and Inter-religious Affairs from 1988 to 1989.
He was a member of the CBCP Permanent Council from 1990 to 1991. (PNA)
