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Two New National Shrines in the Philippines, Dedicated to Our Lady

by Joel V. Ocampo


On July 6, 2024, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) announced the elevation into national shrines of two diocesan shrines dedicated to Our Lady. The said churches are the following:

The announcement was made on the first day of the CBCP’s 128th plenary assembly at Chai Conference Center in Cagayan de Oro City.


Shrines, According to Code of Canon Law

“The term shrine is understood as a church or other sacred place to which numerous members of the faithful make pilgrimage for a special reason of piety, with the approval of the local ordinary” (Can. 1230). For a shrine to be called a diocesan or archdiocesan shrine the local ordinary (bishop/archbishop) must give its approval (Can. 1232 §1).


Can. 1233 also states “Certain privileges can be granted to shrines whenever local circumstances, the large number of pilgrims, and especially the good of the faithful seem to suggest it.” The Code of Canon Law continues, “At shrines the means of salvation are to be supplied more abundantly to the faithful by the diligent proclamation of the word of God, the suitable promotion of liturgical life especially through the celebration of the Eucharist and of penance, and the cultivation of approved forms of popular piety” (Can. 1234 §1).


A Place of Historical Significance

In addition to the above requirements, the place of worship must be a place of historical significance, for it to be declared as a shrine, whether diocesan, national, or international.


Diocesan Shrine of Our Lady of the Assumption

According to the historical marker of the church, the seed of the Catholic faith in Maasin was planted when the Jesuits formally established a parish in the community in the 1700s. A first church was made but was destroyed in 1754. In 1768, the Augustinian fathers took over the mission and built another church in 1771. In 1843, the Franciscans continued the mission and they succeeded in establishing Our Lady of Assumption as the Patroness of the Parish on August 15. On August 14, 1968 the Diocese of Maasin was canonically erected through a papal decree issued March 23, 1968. Thus, the Our Lady of Assumption Parish in Maasin, Southern Leyte became a cathedral-parish. The newly erected diocese also took Our Lady of the Assumption as its patroness. In 2021, the cathedral-parish was damaged by the Super Typhoon Odette. Though the physical church was built, got destroyed, re-built, damaged, and restored many times, the faith of the community was never shaken.



On August 15, 2018 during the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the image of the Nuestra Señora de la Asuncion de Maasin received the honor of Episcopal Coronation, in recognition of the numerous miracles that were attributed to her intercession. The rite was led by then Archbishop of Manila, Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle. Then on December 1, 2021, Pope Francis granted the petition for her Pontifical Coronation. The said Pontifical Coronation was held on August 13, 2022, presided by Most Rev. Precioso D. Cantillas, SDB, D.D., Bishop of Maasin, in the presence of His Excellency, Most Rev. Charles John Brown, D.D., Apostolic Nuncio to the Philippines. In his homily, Archbishop Charles John Brown emphasized, “Mary is our heavenly mother. Let's ask Mary to intercede for our mothers, here in Maasin in the Philippines, throughout the world so they will transmit the faith to their children - give their children the gift of faith. Mothers have given children the gift of physical life, biological life by giving birth to them, by taking care of them, by loving them. Mary gives us spiritual life, supernatural life by giving us Jesus and making us apostles of her Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.”


Diocesan Shrine and Parish of Our Lady of Mercy

Based on existing records, the Diocesan Shrine and Parish of Our Lady of Mercy of Novaliches is the oldest church in the Diocese of Novaliches. According to the brief history of the Shrine and Parish of Our Lady of Mercy, written by Rev. Fr. Ted Ryan A. Perez, this church was a former chapel of Polo, Bulacan before its elevation into a parish dedicated to Nuestra Señora de la Merced on September 24, 1856, with Fray André Martín, OSA, an Augustinian missionary from Spain as its first parish priest. Since then, the church became a witness to different historical events such as the Philippine Revolution against the Spanish Empire, burning of the church, disappearance of the original image of the Our Lady of Mercy, transfer of ecclesiastical jurisdiction from one diocese to another, until the new altar was consecrated on March 4, 2007. 



On September 15, 2008, the parish church was elevated as a diocesan shrine by Most Rev. Antonio R. Tobias, D.D. On January 1, 2021, Most Rev. Roberto O. Gaa, D.D., the current Bishop of Novaliches declared Our Lady of Mercy as the second patroness of the diocese, and officially took the name “Ina ng Novaliches” (Mother of Novaliches). Then on June 6, 2021, during the Solemnity of Corpus et Sanguis Christi, Most. Rev. Charles John Brown D.D, presided a Mass and Declaration of Spiritual Bond of Affinity of Diocesan Shrine and Parish of Our Lady of Mercy and Papal Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome. After some months, on September 24, 2021 during the celebration of its 165th Anniversary as a Parish, Archbishop Charles John Brown presided the Eucharistic Celebration for the Pontifical and Canonical Coronation Ceremony of Our Lady of Novaliches, where the image of Our Lady of Mercy received its pontifical crown and halo. The event was concelebrated by Bishop Roberto Gaa, Most Rev. Teodoro C. Bacani, Jr., and Bishop Antonio R. Tobias.


Sub Tuum Praesidium

We fly to Thy protection, O Holy Mother of God.

Do not despise our petitions in our necessities,

but deliver us always from all dangers,

O Glorious and Blessed Virgin.

Our Lady of the Assumption, pray for us.

Our Lady of Mercy, pray for us.

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