Vale Prime Bishop Edward Malecdan

May 3, 2018

The Board and staff of the Anglican Board of Mission were very saddened to hear from the National Office of the Episcopal Church in the Philippines that retired Prime Bishop Edward Malecdan passed away last Saturday 28 April, 2018.

The office of the Episcopal Diocese of Northern Philippines announced that Bishop Malecdan passed away at St Luke’s Medical Centre in Quezon City. He had been ill with colon cancer for more than 7 years. Vigils were held at the Cathedral of St Mary & St John in Cathedral Heights, Quezon City, on Sunday and at the Cathedral of the Resurrection on Monday in Baguio City.

On 1 May his remains were taken to Sagada, Mountain Province where he was born. Further vigils were held at the family residence and at the Church of St Mary the Virgin, Sagada Poblacion, where the funeral service will be held tomorrow, Friday 4 May.

Bishop Edward Malecdan was ordained Deacon in 1979 at the Cathedral of All Saints, Bontoc and ordained Priest in 1980 at St Thomas Parish, Dagupan, Tabuk, Kalinga, on both occasions by Bishop Richard Abellon.

He was installed as the sixth Dean of St Andrew’s Theological Seminary in May, 1994, and served there as Professor from 2014 to 2017.

Bishop Malecdan was consecrated and installed as the fourth Diocesan Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Northern Philippines in 1997, at the Cathedral of All Saints, Bontoc by Bishop Ignacio Soliba.

He was installed as the fourth Prime Bishop of the Episcopal Church in the Philippines in 2009, at the Cathedral of St Mary & St John, Quezon City, and served until his retirement in 2014.

Bishop Malecdan’s academic qualifications include: Bachelor of Theology, St Andrew’s Theological Seminary, Quezon City, 1977; Conferred Master of Theology, St Andrew’s Theological Seminary, QC, 1988; Bachelor of Arts (major in history), University of the Philippines; Master of Arts, Episcopal Theological Seminary of the Southwest, Texas (Thesis: The Philippine Episcopal Church: Its Formative Years) 1993; Conferred Doctor of Divinity, Episcopal Theological Seminary of the Southwest, Texas.

He also wrote and published a book, ‘A Brief History of the Church of St Mary the Virgin, Sagada.’

Our deepest sympathy goes out to his family and friends during this time. May he rest in peace and rise with Christ in glory.

 

Images: Prime Bishop Edward Malecdan at Enmore Parish during his 2009 visit to Australia. © Moya Holle/ABM, 2009.