A Batangas church devoted to one of Catholicism’s most venerated 20th-century figures now carries one of the faith’s highest distinctions, after the Vatican formally raised the National Shrine and Parish of Saint Padre Pio to the rank of international shrine.
The decision was contained in a decree from the Dicastery for Evangelization. According to the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines, the dating of that document carried particular meaning: “The Dicastery for Evangelization issued the decree on May 25, 2026, the 139th birth anniversary of St. Padre Pio, though the parish in Sto. Tomas town made the announcement public only on Thursday,” the bishops’ conference said through its news service.
The new standing places the Sto. Tomas church among only a handful of Philippine sites recognized at that level. Church officials framed it as more than a ceremonial honor, describing the elevation as a “milestone expected to deepen pilgrimage activity and strengthen devotion among Filipino and foreign devotees.”
Plans are already in motion to mark the change with appropriate solemnity. “Preparations are underway for the formal declaration of the international shrine on Sept. 23, the feast day of St. Padre Pio,” the CBCP noted — a date that ties the public proclamation directly to the saint himself.
With the Vatican’s action, the parish becomes the country’s second church to hold international shrine status, joining the International Shrine of Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage in Antipolo City, Rizal, which previously stood as the lone Philippine site carrying the designation.
