MANILA: The Vatican decreed that the Saint Gregory the Great Parish Church, commonly known as Majayjay Church, in Majayjay town, Laguna is a minor basilica.
This is a first for the province.
The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) made the announcement on Friday.
The decree was dated January 25.
It stemmed from a petition by the Diocese of San Pablo in Laguna submitted to the Vatican last December, the CBCP said in a statement.
According to the 1989 document “Domus ecclesiae,” a church may be granted the title of minor basilica if it meets the following conditions:
The church must have been dedicated to God by a liturgical rite and must stand out as a center of active and pastoral liturgy.
The church should have an appropriate size and it has a sufficiently large sanctuary.
The church may enjoy a certain renown throughout the diocese, also considering the historical value and worthiness of its art.
The church must have a fitting number of priests and capacity to celebrate various seasons in the liturgical year in a praiseworthy manner.
Majayjay Church was founded in 1576.
It served as a refuge for Franciscan missionaries because of the cool climate in the area.
The church underwent reconstructions to achieve its final form after sustaining damage from three fires between 1616 and 1649.
The parish served as quarters for United States troops during the Filipino-American War.
Majayjay Church underwent a restoration again in 1912.
It is now the largest parish church in Laguna.
The National Museum of the Philippines recognised Majayjay Church as a national historical treasure.
“This church and parish is a living testimony of faith, hope and love for us,” San Pablo Bishop Antonio Maralit Jr. said in the CBCP statement on Friday.
“But we need to be mindful also that it is also a continuing reminder of our mission together with the Universal Church to bring the Good News to all,” Maralit emphasised. - Philippine Daily Inquirer/ANN
