Who took the sacred chalice in Sayangan? Atok parish seeks its return

ATOK, Benguet — A sacred chalice donated in memory of the father of Mayor Franklin Smith has gone missing from the Conversion of St. Paul Parish in Sayangan, prompting the parish priest to appeal to the public for its safe return.

Rev. Fr. Nelson T. Domerez, parish priest, made the appeal on October 19, 2026, saying the chalice had been missing since the previous week. However, the exact date it was discovered missing and the date of the priest’s public appeal could not be independently verified as of this writing.

The chalice, used during Catholic Mass to hold the wine consecrated as the Blood of Christ, bears an inscription at its base in memory of the mayor’s late father.

Domerez urged the public to help locate the sacred vessel and warned against purchasing it if offered for sale.

“Let us pray for its safe return. Sapay kuma ta isubli da or i-donate da nalang iti simbaan,” the priest wrote in his appeal, expressing hope that whoever has the chalice would return it or donate it back to the church.

The parish has not publicly established whether the chalice was misplaced or stolen, and no suspect has been identified in the information available.

Located in the mountain municipality of Atok, Sayangan is a community along the Halsema Highway in Benguet, in the Cordillera Administrative Region. Atok is known for its highland vegetable farms and agri-tourism attractions, including Northern Blossom Flower Farm and Sakura Park.

Smith, the municipal mayor, has promoted the town’s agricultural tourism as a source of income and livelihood for residents. In a June 2025 report by the Philippine News Agency, he cited growing tourism revenues and the expansion of local accommodation establishments as benefits of the town’s tourism development.

The missing chalice appeal also comes against the backdrop of reported church thefts elsewhere in Benguet. In March 2026, the Diocese of Baguio warned parishes about thefts involving sacred vessels and other liturgical items at several churches. However, no available report establishes a connection between those incidents and the missing chalice in Sayangan.

The chalice’s disappearance is a concern for the parish because of its role in Catholic worship and its sentimental significance to the family that donated it.

The parish is asking anyone with information about the vessel to contact its office and help facilitate its safe return.