The funeral for retired Bishop Angel Hobayan of Catarman is scheduled for March 22, the diocese announced Tuesday.
Bishop Hobayan died on Saturday at the Cardinal Santos Medical Center in Metro Manila at age 93. He served as the Catarman diocese’s first bishop from 1975 to 2005.
The funeral service will take place at 9:00 a.m. at the Catarman Cathedral. Archbishop Charles Brown, Apostolic Nuncio to the Philippines, will serve as the presider.
Several bishops and priests are expected to attend, especially those from the Borongan diocese where Hobayan served as priest before he became bishop.
Prior to the service, Bishop Hobayan will lie in state at the Diocesan Catholic Center located within the cathedral compound from March 15 to 21.
The bishop’s remains was laid in a prayer vigil at the Shrine of St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus in Pasay City since March 12.
Bishop Hobayan was born on Dec. 11, 1929 in Eastern Samar province’s Taft town.
He was ordained priest for the Diocese of Calbayog on March 25, 1955, and was eventually incardinated to the Diocese of Borongan when the later became diocese 1960.
Pope Paul VI appointed him first bishop of Catarman on Dec. 12, 1974. After his episcopal ordination at the Borongan Cathedral on March 5, 1975, he was installed Catarman bishop on March 11, 1975.
He retired on March 10, 2005 after reaching the mandatory retirement age of 75.
