MISAMIS OCCIDENTAL (August 18 ) — A 19th-century Catholic parish church in the southern province of Misamis Occidental reopened for worship on Saturday, 11 days after it was briefly closed due to a sacrilege.
It is worth noting that the parish church in Ozamiz has been ordered closed indefinitely after a woman was found spitting into a holy water font. On August 5, 2025, Archbishop Martin Jumoad of Ozamiz issued a decree describing the occurrence as a “grave act of sacrilege” against a sacred object intended for the sanctification of the faithful.
Jumoad cited Church law, claiming that the closure is a liturgical and pastoral reaction intended to bring about repentance and communal reparation.
Archbishop Martin Jumoad of Ozamiz presided over the Mass and rite of reopening and reconciliation at St. John the Baptist Parish Church in Jimenez, which was attended by over 1,000 faithful.
“Their presence and prayers stand as a powerful testimony of a community united in hope, healing, and renewal,” the parish said in a statement.
Parishioners gathered for a holy hour of Eucharistic adoration, received the sacrament of reconciliation, and participated in different devotions to express repentance and restore full liturgical life.
The church is regarded as a significant religious monument in the region. The National Museum of the Philippines classified the church as a “national cultural treasure” in 2001. (NewslinePH with CBCP report)
