Our Lady of Aranzazu in San Mateo, Rizal, under the Diocese of Antipolo, was officially declared a National Shrine on August 22, coinciding with the Feast of the Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, Pro-Prefect of the Dicastery for Evangelization in the Vatican, presided over the rite of declaration together with Bishop Ruperto Santos of Antipolo.
In his homily, Cardinal Tagle highlighted the mission of shrines to respond to the challenges of society and to lead people closer to Christ through Mary. Drawing from the Book of Genesis, he recalled how God told Adam that the earth was cursed because of human sin, and he linked this to today’s ecological and social problems. “When responsibility is lost and greed prevails, the earth, the sea, and nature are destroyed,” Cardinal Tagle said. “But we should not lose heart, for the Blessed Mother is with us.”
Bishop Santos reminded the faithful that the declaration of a national shrine is not merely an honorific title but a sacred trust rooted in the deep devotion of the people.
“This is a blessing we must care for. A National Shrine is not just a beautiful church – it is a spiritual beacon. It must be a place of refuge, of healing, of encounter with the Lord and with our Blessed Mother,” Bishop Santos said. He also challenged the local community to witness to the entire country and to the world that a national shrine must be a living place of holiness reflected in its people and devotees.
Fr. Rodrigo Eguia, rector and parish priest of the shrine, expressed joy over the elevation and assured the faithful that its mission of pastoral care and devotion will continue. “May the National Shrine of Our Lady of Aranzazu bring hope, especially to those who are suffering, so that through the Blessed Mother, they may find the light of hope that comes from Jesus,” he said.
The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines approved the shrine’s new status during its 129th plenary assembly in January 2025. The parish of San Mateo was founded by Augustinian missionaries in 1596, while devotion to Our Lady of Aranzazu began in 1716 through Jesuit missionary Fr. Juan Echazabal.
The celebration was attended by Gumaca Bishop Euginus Cañete, Nueva Segovia Archbishop Marlo Peralta, priests from the Diocese of Antipolo, and visiting clergy from across the Philippines.
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