In the growing community of Concepcion Dos, Marikina City, a small parish was established in 1975. Today, it is known as the Minor Basilica and Diocesan Shrine and Parish of St. Paul of the Cross—the oldest church in the Philippines dedicated to St. Paul of the Cross.
The humble beginnings
Going back to its early years, the parish was entrusted to the Passionist Fathers, the religious congregation founded by St. Paul of the Cross in Italy in 1720. Their mission was clear: to keep alive in the world the love of Jesus Crucified, as revealed in His Sacred Passion. Under their guidance, the parish community flourished—not only in number, but also in faith and identity .
As Marikina continued to develop, so did the parish. In 2004, pastoral administration was officially turned over to the Diocese of Antipolo. The transition marked a new chapter, strengthening its role within the local Church while preserving its Passionist heritage. Acquired in 2010, a first-class relic of St. Paul of the Cross was also preserved in the newly established diocesan shrine, which is the eighth in the diocese.
The bishop granted approval five months after Fr. Vicentico Flores Jr., the parish priest, submitted a petition to have the church officially declared a shrine.
The declaration was also held in conjunction with the 300th founding anniversary of the Passionist Congregation, which had overseen the parish for 29 years.
National recognition
On March 19, 2021, the Solemnity of St. Joseph, Bishop Francisco De Leon of Antipolo issued a decree approving the parish’s elevation. As the first church in the Philippines dedicated to St. Paul of the Cross, it now officially holds the status of a diocesan shrine. It is also unique in the diocese as the only parish under the patronage of a male saint.
Not long after being named a diocesan shrine, the parish experienced a historic milestone on May 13, 2025, when the Vatican granted its elevation to a minor basilica. This marked the first time a church in the Philippines received such an honor during the papacy of Pope Leo XIV.
The honor, requested by Bishop Ruperto Cruz Santos of Antipolo, acknowledges the deep spiritual importance and vibrant faith life of the community at the Diocesan Shrine and Parish of St. Paul of the Cross. While the petition was originally submitted in December 2024 under Pope Francis, the decree was released just five days after Cardinal Robert Prevost assumed the papacy. With this elevation, the shrine became the Diocese of Antipolo’s second minor basilica, alongside the Basilica of St. John the Baptist in Taytay, which was granted the title earlier in 2024.
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References:
Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCPNews). (2025, May 20). Marikina shrine is nation’s first minor basilica under Pope Leo XIV. https://cbcpnews.net/cbcpnews/marikina-shrine-is-nations-first-minor-basilica-under-pope-leo-xiv/
LiCAS.news Philippines. (2021, March 29). Philippines’ first St. Paul of the Cross parish declared diocesan shrine. https://philippines.licas.news/2021/03/29/philippines-first-st-paul-of-the-cross-parish-declared-diocesan-shrine/?utm_source=chatgpt.com
Wikipedia contributors. (n.d.). Diocesan Shrine of Saint Paul of the Cross. In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diocesan_Shrine_of_Saint_Paul_of_the_Cross?utm_source=chatgpt.com
The Passionists. (n.d.). Mission & Charism.https://thepassionists.org/passionists/mission-charism
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