Batangas: Church of St. Padre Pio elevated to international status
On 25 May, the Dicastery for Evangelisation issued an official decree granting international status to the shrine, the second in Catholic-majority Philippines. The formal declaration will be held on 23 September, the feast day of the saint from Pietralcina.
Manila (AsiaNews) – Philippine Catholics are in a celebratory mood after the Vatican elevated the Parish and National Shrine of Saint Padre Pio, Batangas province, to the status of international shrine.
The Dicastery for Evangelisation issued the decree on 25 May 2026, the 139th anniversary of the birth of the saint from Pietralcina, southern Italy, but the parish, which is located in the City of Santo Tomas, made the announcement public only yesterday.
Preparations are currently underway for the formal declaration of the international shrine on 23 September, the feast day of Saint Padre Pio.
The designation makes the Parish of Saint Padre Pio the second international shrine in Catholic-majority Philippines, following the 2023 designation of the Shrine of Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage in Antipolo City, Calabarzon Region.
For Church leaders, the recognition is a major event in the history of the local church, and will hopefully increase its international exposure, boost pilgrimage activity, and strengthen devotion among the faithful, both Filipinos and foreigners.
“May this historic milestone inspire us to deepen our faith and devotion as we journey together in prayer and thanksgiving,” they told CBCP News.
During their plenary assembly in July 2024, the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), by a unanimous vote, backed the request to make the Parish of Saint Padre Pio an international shrine.
The Vatican's decision represents the “recognition of the strong pastoral and devotional significance" of the shrine in Asia, given that many other Asian bishops' conferences have strongly supported it.
Several Asian bishops' conferences have in fact shown keen interest in the matter and have endorsed the request for international shrine status, Archbishop Gilbert Garcera of Lipa noted.
The shrine, which covers an area of 12 hectares, was founded as a chapel in 2003, becoming an archdiocesan shrine in 2008. It was declared a national shrine in 2015.
Every year, hundreds of thousands of faithful visit it, seeking healing and expressing their deep devotion to Saint Padre Pio, the Italian mystic known for his stigmata and healing ministry.
It houses exceptional relics of the saint from Pietralcina, whose life and miracles continue to inspire devotion around the world.
The formal declaration of the international shrine will take place on 23 September 2026, the feast day of Saint Padre Pio, at a much-anticipated community celebration.
“I was overjoyed to learn that the Sto. Tomas parish shrine has been elevated to an international status,” said Anna Francia, a 62-year-old woman devotee of Saint Padre Pio, speaking to AsiaNews. “I have been to the shrine several times in the past, praying and seeking St. Padre Pio’s intercession,” she added.
.png)
16/02/2026 17:54
07/09/2018 14:28
