The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) on Sunday approved a petition declaring the Archdiocesan Shrine of the Black Nazarene, or Quiapo Church, as a national shrine.

In granting the petition of Cardinal Jose Advincula of Manila, the CBCP bestowed upon Quiapo Church the title of “National Shrine of the Black Nazarene”, effectively making it the country’s 29th national shrine.

Quiapo Church in Manila is home to the centuries-old image of the Black Nazarene. It has served as a center of devotion for Filipinos and a prominent landmark for pilgrims, particularly during the “traslacion”, which commemorates the transfer of the image of the Black Nazarene from Recollect Church in Intramuros to its present shrine in Quiapo.

Back in 1987, St. John Paul II, who was a pope then, elevated the church to the status of the “Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene” due to its cultural impact on the religious practices of Filipinos.