Manila: A church in Ilocos Sur’s Sta. Maria town is set to be formally declared as a minor basilica on Friday. In support of the celebration, Ilocos Sur Governor Jeremias Singson suspended classes in all levels in both public and private schools, as well as work in public offices, across the province on Aug. 15.
According to Philippines News Agency, ‘The participation of local residents and the facilitation of peace, order, and logistical support are vital for the smooth and meaningful observance of this celebration, in light of the expected influx of religious pilgrims and guests,’ Singson said in his two-page Executive Order No. 18, series of 2025. The event will be presided by Most Rev. Charles John Brown, Apostolic Nuncio to the Philippines, and is expected to gather church leaders, government officials, and the faithful from across the country.
On Nov. 18, 2024, then-Pope Francis granted the Archdiocesan Shrine and Parish Church of Our Lady of the Assumption the title of minor basilica in recognition of its historical and cultural significance. The church is the second in the Archdiocese of Nueva Segovia to receive such a designation, the other being the Minor Basilica of St. Nicholas de Tolentino in Sinait town.
Built by the Augustinians in 1765 and designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1993 as part of the Baroque churches in the Philippines, the Sta. Maria church stands as a symbol of enduring faith, architectural heritage, and spiritual leadership in the Archdiocese of Nueva Segovia.
