It is only the second in the country to be designated such a title.
Last September 23 (Wednesday), on the occasion of the Feast of Saint Padre Pio, his shrine in Sto. Tomas, Batangas was formally declared an International Shrine.
This development follows a decree issued by the Vatican’s Dicastery for Evangelization last May 25, which is the 139th birth anniversary of the Italian saint.
It also the 19th international shrine in the world and the second in the Philippines, with the other being the Shrine of Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage in Antipolo that received the designation in 2023.
“This recognition by the Holy See is both a profound blessing and a solemn responsibility,” noted Lipa Archbishop Gilbert Garcera.
“Padre Pio’s timeless message of trust in God and radical charity offers a direct antidote to contemporary despair,” he also said, before inviting pilgrims around the world to visit the site.
To commemorate the said designation, a mass was also presided by Caloocan Archbishop Pablo David.
Prior to is designation, just nine days prior, on September 14, the anniversary of the dedication of the pilgrimage site as a National Shrine was commemorated.
“A shrine is more than a place of pilgrimage. It is a home where people come with their joys and struggles, offer their prayers, seek God’s mercy, and renew their faith. Through the years, countless pilgrims have found comfort, hope, and strength in the presence of the Lord and through the intercession of St. Padre Pio,” the church said in its Facebook post back then.
