Manila, April 3 -- Pope Francis has named the new bishop of the Diocese of Pagadian in Zamboanga del Sur following the death of Bishop Ronald Lunas last year.

The appointment of Father Ronald Anthony Timoner was announced by the Vatican on Wednesday, according to the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) in a news article.

The 53-year-old bishop-elect will lead the diocese that has been vacant since Lunas' death on Jan. 2, 2024.

As the new bishop of Pagadian, Timoner will oversee a diocese of more than 1.3 million people, roughly 80 percent of whom are Catholic, spread across 26 parishes, the CBCP said.

Born in 1971, Timoner studied philosophy at the Holy Rosary Major Seminary in Naga City, and theology at the Univers...