Finding myself in this important city known as the cradle of Christianity in the          Philippines, I want to express my deep joy and profound thanksgiving to the Lord of    history.  The thought that for 450 years the light of the Gospel has shown with undimmed brightness in this land and on its people is cause for great rejoicing.  Four and a half  centuries of fruitful interaction between the local culture and Christian message have resulted in this harmonious blending called "Filipino Christian culture."  God's  providence in the Philippines has truly been wonderful.  The       Christianization that took place in the  sixteenth century was not something merely accidental.  Divine grace was at work when the people of this region had their first contact with the image of the Santo Nino.  It is an important historical fact, rich in religious meaning, that on January 1,  1571 the    village kingdom of Sugbu was renamed "Villa del Santo Nino," and thus the first city of the  Philippines was placed under the patronage of the Child Jesus.

In a particular way the church thank God that the tiny Christian community of  Sugbo, under the patronage of the Infant Jesus, has now become a flourishing archdiocese of two million people, almost all of whom are Catholics.  It can truly be said that growth in faith and Christian living has been until now a constant feature of the church in Cebu as well as the whole  Philippines.  The glorious past gives hope for the future.