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Florentino "Dong" Galang Lavarias is a Filipino prelate of the Catholic church. He is the fourth and current archbishop of San Fernando. He succeeded Paciano Aniceto as the Archbishop of San Fernando. He is also the apostolic administrator of Balanga in Bataan since July 22, 2023. Prior to his installation as Archbishop of San Fernando, he previously served as fourth bishop of Iba from September 1, 2004 to October 27, 2014.

Biography

Lavarias was born on March 14, 1957, in Santa Ines, Mabalacat. He graduated in college at the Holy Angel University in 1978 before entering the San Carlos Seminary. He was ordained a priest on September 26, 1985, at the Our Lady of Grace Parish. He served various parishes under the Archdiocese of San Fernando. He was appointed bishop of Iba. He was consecrated on August 12, 2004, at the Metropolitan Cathedral of San Fernando. His consecrator was then the Apostolic Nuncio to the Philippines, Antonio Franco, while his co-consecrators were Paciano Aniceto and Gaudencio Rosales .^[1]

On July 25, 2014, Pope Francis named him as Archbishop of San Fernando (De Pampanga), succeeding Aniceto, who resigned on reaching the age limit.^[2]

Due to the departure of Ruperto Santos to become bishop of Antipolo on July 22, 2023 which ended his term as fourth bishop of Balanga, Lavarias was appointed by Pope Francis as the apostolic administrator of the Diocese of Balanga where he currently holds the position while awaiting for the installation of Santos' successor as the diocese's bishop.

References

External links

• Archbishop Florentino Galang Lavarias at Catholic-Hierarchy.org
• Archbishop Florentino Galang Lavarias at GCatholic.org