MANILA – The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) has endorsed a petition to the Vatican to elevate the National Shrine of Saint Padre Pio to an international shrine.
The endorsement was approved during the CBCP’s 128th plenary assembly in Cagayan de Oro City last weekend, announced CBCP president Bishop Pablo Virgilio David.
“We have approved to endorse the application of the National Shrine of Padre Pio into an international shrine,” David stated in a CBCP News report on Tuesday (09 July 2024).
Located in Santo Tomas, Batangas, the 12-hectare shrine attracts pilgrims from around the globe, especially those seeking healing and refuge. Initially a small chapel, it became the country’s first parish dedicated to a Capuchin saint in 2003.
Lipa Archbishop Gilbert Garcera noted that the shrine has also garnered support from several episcopal conferences across Asia.
“We are convinced there is a need for Rome to recognize it as an international shrine due to the strong devotion to Santo Padre Pio,” Garcera said.
The parish was designated as an archdiocesan shrine in 2008 and declared a national shrine by the CBCP in 2013.
If the Vatican approves the petition, it will become the second international shrine in the Philippines, following the International Shrine of Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage in Antipolo City.
(el Amigo/mnm)
