Pope Francis has officially approved the elevation of the Sta. Cruz Parish Church in Manila to the status of a minor basilica, making it one of only 25 churches in the Philippines with this prestigious designation.
Now known as the Minor Basilica of Our Lady of the Pillar, the church announced the recognition in a social media post on Thursday. The title of minor basilica is granted to churches of notable historical, architectural, or spiritual significance and reflects a deeper connection to the Pope. It also allows the church to display the papal crossed keys symbol on its banners, furnishings, and seal.
Established in 1619 by Jesuit priests, the Sta. Cruz Parish initially served the growing Chinese community in the area. In 1643, a replica of the Nuestra Señora del Pilar de Zaragoza from Spain was enshrined, and Our Lady of the Pillar became the parish’s titular patroness.
The church has endured significant destruction over the centuries. The original structure was damaged by earthquakes and ultimately destroyed during the 1945 Battle of Manila. The current Baroque-style edifice was completed in 1957.
In 1984, Manila Archbishop Jaime Cardinal Sin restored the church’s name to Sta. Cruz Parish and named St. Peter Julian Eymard as its second patron. Under the care of the Blessed Sacrament Fathers and Brothers since the 1950s, devotion to the Holy Eucharist and adoration of the Blessed Sacrament have grown in the parish.
In 2018, then-Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle declared Sta. Cruz Church as the Archdiocesan Shrine of the Blessed Sacrament.
A date for the formal declaration as a minor basilica has yet to be announced.