Diocese of Dumaguete

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DIOCESE OF DUMAGUETE (Dioecesis Dumaguete)

Country : Philippines
Denomination : Roman Catholic

Established : 1955

Official blazon

Origin/meaning

The gold St. Catherine's Wheel with silver spikes, is the symbol of St. Catherine of Alexandria, the patroness of the Diocese. St. Catherine of Alexandria was chosen to be the principal patroness because of the frequent kidnappings (dinaguit) of maidens by Moro pirates from the south. A legend goes that the saint herself went around at the time to patrol the coasts which is why her clothes (the statue on the High Altar of the church) are riddled with brambles and thorns.

The secretary bird is the most apt symbol of the diocese for two reasons: 1. It is the natural enemy of the serpent and so thus, symbolizing the role that the clergy of the diocese to be against the devil. 2. The secretary bird swoops in to catch its prey. The name Dumaguete derives from a Visayan term which means "to snatch or to swoop".

The long-stemmed lily is the symbol of St. Joseph, second patron Saint of the Diocese. The rocky and spine-covered mountain is Mount Canlaon, which is also called Mount Malaspina, after a Spanish scientist. The Malaspina family in Italy, especially that of the "Del Spino Secco" branch, has a leafless thorn branch in its coat-of-arms.