One of the oldest churches in Manila has received a rare honor.
Pope Francis has approved the elevation of Sta. Cruz Parish Church to a minor basilica.
The parish church announced its new designation in a social media post Tuesday, March 25.
It said the place of worship will be known as “Minor Basilica of Our Lady of the Pillar”.
Sta. Cruz is now one of only about 25 churches in the country to receive the designation.
The honor recognizes that a place of worship carries significant historical, architectural, or spiritual importance.
It also signifies that the church has a “closer relationship to the pope,” and has the right to display the papal symbol of crossed keys on its banners, furnishings, and seal.
The parish was established in 1619, with Jesuit priests ministering to the growing Chinese population in the area.
In 1643, the Jesuits enshrined a replica of Nuestra Señora del Pilar de Zaragoza from Spain, and Our Lady of the Pillar later became the parish’s titular patroness.
The church’s original structure was damaged by two major earthquakes before it was completely destroyed during the Battle of Manila in 1945. The present edifice, reflecting Baroque influences, was completed in 1957.
In 1984, Cardinal Jaime Sin of Manila restored the name to Sta. Cruz Parish and named St. Peter Julian Eymard as its second patron.
Devotion to the Holy Eucharist and adoration of the Blessed Sacrament flourished after the Blessed Sacrament Fathers and Brothers took over parish administration in the 1950s.
In 2018, Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, who was then the archbishop of Manila, declared the church as the Archdiocesan Shrine of the Blessed Sacrament.
No date has been set yet for the formal declaration of Sta. Cruz Church as a minor basilica.
