Our Lady of Manaoag: Pope declares as Minor Basilica
On 11 October 2014, the Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary Shrine or more popularly referred as Our Lady of Manaog or Manaoag Shrine in Manaoag, Pangasinan was officially declared as a minor basilica by Pope Francis and a rite was locally held last 16 February 2015. Local news say that the Shrine of Our Lady of the Rosary of Manaoag is also a parish church of the Archdiocese of Lingayen Dagupan and that it is an affiliate of the Papal Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome. It is also said that a church is raised to the status of a minor basilica when it has "unusual historical significance" or is "especially sacred because of the presence of a relic or relics." And only a Pope can declare a church as a minor basilica. In the following photos, I am sharing to you my visit in 2012 to this church which houses the miraculous Lady of Manaoag. Just touching any part of the body of this miraculous Lady will grant some innermost prayer. *** ...