Our Lady of the Abandoned Parish Valencia, Negros Oriental

May 19, 1852    

Became an independent town, originally a barrio known as Ermita (“a place of retreat”), with Fr. Antonio Ubeda-who was instrumental in naming the town Nueva Valencia after his hometown’s name in Spain-as the first Recollect to take care of the faithful’s spiritual needs.

March 31, 1854

Established as a parish separate from Dumaguete and dedicated to Our Lady of the Abandoned.

1855      

Fr. Tomas Mezquita built a church and a school, both made of light materials.

1869-1875           

Construction of a convent made of solid materials.

1886      

Completion of building a new church made of stone and wood when the old one collapsed in 1885.

1898      

Both the church and convent were burned during the Revolution. The Recollects left the parish; a Secular priest from Dumaguete took over.

1904      

The Recollects resumed their pastoral care of the parish. They built a new concrete church and convent.

April 18, 1905   

Change of the town’s name to Luzurriaga in honor of a famous political figure, Jose Ruiz de Luzurriaga.

June 14, 1948    

Restoration of the Town’s old name sans”Nueva”.

1960      

Fr. Pedro Ko started building the actual concrete church and convent.

1963      

He established the San Pedro Academy. Later he also founded the San Pedro Academy-Recoletos in Barangay Caidiocan.

1994      

An Evangelization Team was formed to help in the “Spiritual (re-) awakening” of 21 barangays covered by the parish.

December 12, 1997        

The Chaplaincy of St. Ezekiel Moreno in Caidiocan was Established.

Parish Priest

1856       Tomas Mesquita

1857       Matias Villamayor

1867       Sebastian Leza

1868       Eladio Logronio

1889       Pablo Alecha

1898       Gervacio Gallofin (a diocesan priest)

1904       Paulino Jimenez

1919       Francisco Echanojauregui

1920       Bernardino Vasquez

1921       Inocente Lamata

1925       Fermin Samares

1925       Juan Lorenzo

1926       Fermin Samanes

1927       Abundio Frias

1930       Cipriano Lejarraga

1931       Isidoro Equiza

1933       Serafin Hernando

1934       Maximo Lopez

1937       Amado Lope

1941      Juan Lavaca

1947       Abundio Frias

1954       Leandro Palacios

1954       Esteban Garcia

1957       Cipriano Zubiri

1959       Gregorio Samanes

1959       Jose Gurrea

1959       Jesus Gonzales

1959       Alberto Abaigar

1960       Pedro Ko

1991       Arnie Visitacion

1994       Rafael Cabarles

1996       Cirilo Andan

2000       Faustino Paglinawan

2003       Rouel Sia

2006      Ronel Gealon