In 1596, the Jesuits established the church and became their residence for some time.
 It was later on administered by the Augustinians in 1768 and then by the Franciscans in 1843.
 The church was repaired in 1850 by the supervision Fr.
Agustin de Consuegra who also oversaw the construction of the two towers of the church.
 On March 25, 1938, the church was declared a cathedral and Msgr.
Manuel Mascariñas became its first bishop.
 During the Second World War, the American liberation forces used the church as a hospital.

In November 2013, the cathedral was damaged by Typhoon Haiyan.
After Haiyan’s havoc, a memorial service for the typhoon’s casualties was held in the cathedral.
Bodies were buried in the cathedral’s grave site.
On Christmas eve, Pope Francis sent his Apostolic Nuncio to the country, Giuseppe Pinto, to lead a Mass at the roofless cathedral and to inspect the damage on churches in Eastern Visayas.
 After the church's rehabilitation, Pope Francis briefly visited the cathedral in January 2015, brought about by impending Tropical Storm Mekkhala.
 In 2015, it was declared as one of the pilgrim churches of the archdiocese by Archbishop John F. Du.
In 1596, the Jesuits established the church and became their residence for some time.  It was later on administered by the Augustinians in 1768 and then by the Franciscans in 1843.  The church was repaired in 1850 by the supervision Fr. Agustin de Consuegra who also oversaw the construction of the two towers of the church.  On March 25, 1938, the church was declared a cathedral and Msgr. Manuel Mascariñas became its first bishop.  During the Second World War, the American liberation forces used the church as a hospital.
In November 2013, the cathedral was damaged by Typhoon Haiyan. After Haiyan’s havoc, a memorial service for the typhoon’s casualties was held in the cathedral. Bodies were buried in the cathedral’s grave site. On Christmas eve, Pope Francis sent his Apostolic Nuncio to the country, Giuseppe Pinto, to lead a Mass at the roofless cathedral and to inspect the damage on churches in Eastern Visayas.  After the church's rehabilitation, Pope Francis briefly visited the cathedral in January 2015, brought about by impending Tropical Storm Mekkhala.  In 2015, it was declared as one of the pilgrim churches of the archdiocese by Archbishop John F. Du.
Palo Cathedral