Pope elevates church in Manila to minor basilica

Pope Francis waves from a window of the Gemelli hospital before being discharged following a five weeks hospitalization for pneumonia, in Rome on March 23, 2025.  (Photo by Filippo MONTEFORTE / AFP)

Pope Francis has approved the elevation of Sta. Cruz Parish in Manila to a minor basilica. The church announced its new designation on Monday, along with the formal installation of Fr. Marc Bryan Adona as the second shrine rector and its 80th parish priest. The church, also called the Archdiocesan Shrine of the Blessed Sacrament, gained the new title of Minor Basilica of Nuestra Señora del Pilar. With the new designation, Sta. Cruz Parish is now among the country’s 25 churches recognized by the Pope as a minor basilica. The honor is given to churches worldwide in acknowledgment of their historical or cultural significance, artistic beauty and importance in the life of the Church. —DEXTER CABALZA