Four long-lost pulpit panels have finally returned to their rightful place at the pulpit of the Archdiocesan Shrine of Nuestra Señora del Patrocinio de Maria Santisima in Boljoon, Cebu after having been missing for over three decades.
This historic repatriation was sealed by the signing of an agreement among Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma, National Museum of the Philippines (NMP) Director General Jeremy Barns, and Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia, putting an end to a decades-old controversy over these priceless religious artifacts.
The four 19th-century carved wooden pulpit panels were stolen from the shrine in 1981 during the parish administration of Rev. Fr. Faustino Cortes.
After their recovery in January 2024, when spouses Eileen and Edwin Bautista donated them to the NMP, the rightful ownership of the panels was contested by the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Cebu (RCAC).
This sparked a strong call for their return, with local government officials, led by Governor Garcia and then later by Boljoon Maor Joie Genesse N. Derama, rallying behind this cause.
The agreement ensures the unconditional repatriation of the panels, confirming the RCAC as their rightful owner. While the NMP will conduct carbon dating to authenticate the panels, the artwork is already restored and back to where it belongs—at the pulpit of Boljoon Church.
The return of these sacred objects marks not only a triumph for heritage conservation but also a significant step in protecting and preserving the cultural treasures of Cebu for future generations. | JMT
