Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma: “The Return of the Four Long Lost Religious Artifacts is a Manifestation of God’s Love”

After more than four decades, the Archdiocesan Shrine of the Patrocinio de Maria Santissima in Boljoon, Cebu, Philippines, regained possession of the four long-lost pulpit panels in a pontifical mass highlighted by the unveiling and blessing of the newly restored panels and Cebu Archbishop Jose S. Palma preaching from the pulpit.

To recall, the four pulpit panels disappeared from the local church in 1981. People were shocked to learn about losing the “kabilin panulondon,” Cebuano for cultural heritage.

They were outraged to hear about reports that the parish priest at the time purloined the pulpit panels and sold them to antique dealers. The sacred articles were never heard of again until February 14, 2024, when they surfaced in an exhibit organized by the National Museum of the Philippines (NMP) in Manila.

The incident caused a stir among members of the Cebu Archdiocese, led by Palma, and the provincial government, headed by Governor Gwendolyn Garcia. In a rare display of unanimity, church and state decided to move for the return of the panels, first through a peaceful dialogue, but the NMP, which maintained that the sacred articles were legally acquired through a donation, put up a resistance.

Governor Garcia countered the NMP’s intransigence by preparing to file four criminal charges against Director General Jeremy Barns, saying that it is her duty as steward and protector of the culture and heritage of the people. The Archdiocese of Cebu joined the legal action by empowering the lady governor with a special power of attorney.

The controversy was finally resolved when NMP officials agreed to return the pulpit panels to the Archdiocesan Shrine of the Patrocinio de Maria Santissima.

The Archdiocese of Cebu is named the rightful owner of the four pulpit panels in the document signed by the Archdiocese of Cebu and the Province of Cebu on one side and the National Museum of the Philippines on the other.

Preaching from the pulpit, Palma said that the presence of the pulpit panels in the 16th-century baroque church underlines the cultural heritage of Cebu and its historical significance as the cradle of Christian civilization in Asia.

Palma said that “the return of the pulpit panels is a manifestation of God’s love.”

“God’s love is manifest when He sent His Son Jesus, who in Cebu we know as the Señor Santo Niño.”

Speaking in Cebuano, Palma stressed that the Santo Niño is the stream of joy and a refuge in times of trials. He stressed that the infant Jesus had already grown under the care of the Virgin Mary, suggesting that faith should grow and mature.

“God loves us because he offered his life for us. After baptism, we become children of God. We have ample reason to believe that God loves us. Nothing can ever separate us from the love of God.”

“In the Eucharist, he feeds us with his word and with his body and blood. The word of God, when preached from the pulpit, becomes alive, leading us to ponder in our life’s journey.”

God expects that the blessings we receive will bear good fruit.

“What do we give to God for what he has given us? We who receive the faith are grateful, and we pray that the fruit of our faith is love and good works,” Palma said.

The return of the four pulpit panels was a major event in Boljoon, a beautiful coastal town in the southern part of Cebu. The people of Boljoon are known for their deep religiosity.

The ceremonies, which took place on March 21, 2025, were attended by several archdiocesan clergy, including canon lawyer Fr. Dan de los Angeles, Fr. Brian Brigoli, chairman of the Cebu Archdiocesan Commission on Cultural Heritage, Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia, National Museum of the Philippines Director General Jeremy Barns, and local government officials.