Photo credit: MPIO

The Papal Nuncio, or the Vatican’s official representative to the Philippines, declared Quiapo Church as a national shrine, marking it as the twenty-seventh national shrine in the country. The church will now be officially known as the Minor Basilica and National Shrine of Hesus Nazareno.

The journey to this prestigious designation began on May 10, 2023, when Quiapo Church applied to the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) to be recognized as a national shrine.

After its approval in July 2023, the decree will be publicly read this year, bringing joy to devotees who have eagerly awaited this moment.