Balanga Bishop Ruperto Santos has been appointed by the Vatican as the new leader of the Diocese of Antipolo, home of the International Shrine of Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage, succeeding Bishop Francisco de Leon who filed his resignation after serving for nearly seven years.

“The Holy Father has accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the diocese of Antipolo, Philippines, presented by Bishop Francisco M. De Leon. The Holy Father has appointed Bishop Ruperto C. Santos of Balanga, Philippines, as bishop of Antipolo, Philippines,” the announcement of the Holy See Press Office said on Wednesday night.

De Leon’s resignation was due to his age reaching 75 on 11 June which, according to the Church’s canon law, should be the time for bishops to file their resignations before the Pope.

Santos, a San Rafael, Bulacan native, served as a priest in the Archdiocese of Manila in 1983, subsequently becoming a professor at San Carlos Seminary, and eventually at the Pontefico Collegio Filipino in Rome.

Prior to his appointment, he served as the bishop of Balanga, Bataan since 2010. 

He also held a position as the vice-chairman of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines-Episcopal Commission for Pastoral Care of Migrants and as bishop-promoter of Stella Maris-Philippines.