The Territorial Prelature of Batanes (in ) is a Latin rite pre-diocesan, non-missionary jurisdiction of the Roman Catholic Church. It is a suffragan in the ecclesiastical province of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Tuguegarao on Luzon island in the Philippines. The Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception Cathedral is the episcopal seat of the territorial prelate, in Basco, Batanes. The current bishop-prelate is Most Rev. Danilo B. Ulep, D.D. Statistics and territory As per 2014, it pastorally served 16,647 Catholics (94.5% of 17,609 total) on 784 km² in 6 parishes and 1 mission with 9 priests (diocesan), 4 lay religious (4 sisters), 2 seminarians. The prelature includes Batanes province and the municipality of Calayan in Cagayan Province. The territory is divided into six parishes. In 2004 there were 15,505 baptized about 16,476 inhabitants. History It was erected on 30 November 1950 as Territorial Prelature of Batanes Islands and Babuyan / Batanen(sis) et Babuyanen(sis) (Latin), on territory split off from the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Manila. On 29 June 1951 it became part of the ecclesiastical province of Archdiocese of Nueva Segovia. On 21 September 1974 it became suffragan of the Archdiocese of Tuguegarao, its mother see. On 6 February 2002 renamed Territorial Prelature of Batanes / Batanen(sis) (Latin adjective). Coat of arms The silver crescent symbolizes the Immaculate Conception, the titular of the principal church in the prelature. The North Star together with the constellation of the Ursa major denotes that the prelature covers the northern-most part of the Philippines. Cattle is the most important export product of Batanes and Babuyan Islands hence the bull on pasture. The agitated sea symbolizes the dangerous waters between these islands. Episcopal ordinaries (all Roman Rite) Prelates of Batanes and the Babuyan Islands Prelates of Batanes See also Catholic Church in the Philippines List of Catholic dioceses in the Philippines References Sources and external links GCatholic.org Catholic Hierarchy Prelature website Roman Catholic dioceses in the Philippines Territorial prelatures Roman Catholic Ecclesiastical Province of Tuguegarao Religion in Batanes Christian organizations established in 1951 Roman Catholic dioceses and prelatures established in the 20th century Christian organizations established in 1950 1951 establishments in the Philippines