The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) has approved the elevation of the St. John the Baptist Parish, or Quiapo Church, to national shrine status.
During their 126th plenary assembly in Kalibo town, Aklan province, the bishops approved a petition on Sunday to declare the church, located in the heart of Manila, as the country’s 29th national shrine.
In granting the petition of Cardinal Jose Advincula of Manila, the CBCP bestowed upon Quiapo Church the title of “National Shrine of the Black Nazarene.”
For many years, the home of the centuries-old and revered image of the Black Nazarene has served as a prominent landmark for pilgrims from all corners of the country.
Since the “traslacion,” or the transfer of the image from Intramuros to Quiapo in 1787, Quiapo Church has emerged as a center of devotion for Filipinos, particularly the poor and the suffering.
What was once a parochial feast held every January 9 has also now extended its reach and is celebrated by devotees in various parts of the country and even abroad.
It was only on May 10 that Cardinal Advincula elevated the church to the status of an archdiocesan shrine.
Back in 1987, St. John Paul II elevated the church to the status of the Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene due to its significant role in fostering a profound popular devotion to Jesus Christ and its cultural impact on the religious practices of Filipinos.
