Quiapo Church now a national shrine

MANILA, Philippines — Quiapo Church, formally known as St. John the Baptist Parish, has been elevated to the status of a national shrine, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) has announced.

CBCPNews reported that the bishops, during the group’s 126th plenary assembly in Aklan, approved the petition of Manila Archbishop Jose Cardinal Advincula yesterday and declared the church as the country’s 29th national shrine.

In granting Advincula’s petition, the CBCP bestowed upon Quiapo Church the title of “National Shrine of the Black Nazarene.”

Over the years, Quiapo Church has attracted millions of devotees all over the world because of the stories of miracles and prayer requests that the Black Nazarene is believed to have granted.

Quiapo Church serves as the home of the centuries-old image of the Black Nazarene and as a prominent landmark for pilgrims from all over 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.

What was once a parochial feast held every Jan. 9 is celebrated by devotees in various parts of the country and abroad.

Last May 10, Advincula elevated the church to the status of an archdiocesan shrine.

St. John Paul II elevated the church to the status of the Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene in 1987 due to its significant role in fostering a profound popular devotion to Jesus Christ and its cultural impact on the religious practices of Filipinos.