The Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) has approved a petition to change the status of Quiapo Church from the Archdiocesan Shrine of the Black Nazarene to the National Shrine of the Black Nazarene.
(Photo from CBCP)
According to CBCP, the recognition of the country’s 29th national shrine was announced at its 126th plenary session in Kalibo, Aklan on July 8.
The CBCP granted Quiapo Church as the "National Shrine of the Black Nazarene" status in response to the appeal of Manila Archbishop Jose Cardinal Advincula's appeal.
"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," the CBCP said in a statement on Sunday, July 9.
Since the "Traslacion" of the image from Intramuros to Quiapo in 1787, Quiapo Church has been a place of devotion for Filipinos.
Cardinal Advincula elevated the church to the status of archdiocesan shrine only on May 10.
Moreover, way back in 1987, St. John Paul II elevated the church to the Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene because of how important it is in creating a public worship to Jesus Christ and its cultural effect on Filipino religious practices. (Rhowen Del Rosario)
