The 18th-century Nuestra Señora De la Asuncion Parish Church in Santa Maria, Ilocos Sur has been designated by Pope Francis as a minor basilica.

The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) sakd the title recognizes its “historical and cultural significance.”

According to CBCP, the Archdiocesan Shrine and Parish Church of Our Lady of the Assumption in Sta. Maria town is the second in the Archdiocese of Nueva Segovia to receive the designation.

The designation, made through the Vatican’s Dicastery for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, was announced by the parish on Monday, 18 November.

The church was built by the Augustinians in 1765 and was declared an independent parish in 1769 under the patronage of Our Lady of the Assumption.

The bell tower, added during a renovation in 1810, was completed with a bell the following year.

In 1822, the church and its convent became a mission center for the Augustinians, serving as a base for outreach to nearby towns, including Pidigan and La Paz in Abra province.

UNESCO designated the church, along with the Augustinian-built churches in Manila, Paoay in Ilocos Norte, and Miag-ao in Iloilo, as World Heritage Sites in 1993 classified as Baroque Churches of the Philippines.

In August 2022, Archbishop Marlo Peralta elevated the church to the status of archdiocesan shrine. It is currently ministered by priests from the archdiocese.

The other basilica in the archdiocese is the Minor Basilica of St. Nicholas de Tolentino in Sinait town.

There are about 24 churches across the counry, including some cathedrals, that carry the “minor basilica” designation.