January 1, 2024
Treasures of Devotion Online Exhibit, in partnership with The Kabilin Center of the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc. (RAFI), the Archdiocese of Cebu and the Office for Initiatives for Culture and the Arts of the University of the Philippines Cebu (UP Cebu), was launched last December 22, 2022 at The Kabilin Center.
The online exhibit contains an inventory, through photos, videos and articles, of devotional statues, liturgical vesture and vessels, furnishings, sacramentals and other ritual materials found in different parishes, museums and private collections in the archdiocese.
The exhibit was opened by the Archbishop of Cebu Most Rev. Jose S. Palma, RAFI Culture & Heritage Program Champion Ms. Sofia Aboitiz, and UP Cebu Chancellor Atty. Leo Malagar. Also present were the Treasures of Devotion project leads, UP Cebu Prof. Jay Jore and The Kabilin Center Head Ms. Haidee Palapar.
Treasures of Devotion is seen as sequel and complement to the documentation of the churches in Cebu found in Balaanong Bahandi: The Sacred Treasures of the Archdiocese of Cebu and a contribution to the 500 years of Christianity celebration of the archdiocese.
The initiative was made possible also with the support and cooperation of Fr. Mhar Balili, secretary general of the archdiocese’s 500 years of Christianity celebration; Fr. Brian Brigoli, head of the Cebu Archdiocesan Commission on the Cultural Heritage of the Church; the parish priests, the Parish Pastoral Councils and the Parish Youth Coordinating Councils of the different parishes, curators of museums and owners of private devotions in the archdiocese, and the Treasures of Devotion team, composed of the research and inventory team, documentation team, technical team, and pool of writers.
