Nestled in the quiet, leafy streets of New Manila in Quezon City, the Basilica of the National Shrine of Our Lady of Mount Carmel stands as a peaceful refuge from the city’s bustle. It is not just any church as it has become one of the key centers of devotion to the Brown Scapular in the Philippines and a growing pilgrimage site in the city, run by the Order of the Discalced Carmelites.
While the church is dedicated to Our Lady of Mount Carmel, a title first given to the Blessed Virgin Mary by the earliest Carmelites when they built their monastery on Mount Carmel in northern Israel during the 12th century, the church's story is uniquely its own.
Tracing origin
It all began when missionaries from the Order of Discalced Carmelites—known as OCD Friars—arrived from Ireland, led by Father Mark Horan, OCD, and Brother Ciaran Dilly. They dreamed of creating a national monument in honor of the Mother and Virgin of Carmen, a church truly worthy of a queen. In 1953, the Jaro Foundation and the Archdiocese of Manila Foundation were established, and a year later, a property on Broadway Street was acquired to build the shrine we know today.
On December 30, 1954, the cornerstone of the Shrine of Our Lady of Mount Carmel was blessed by Apostolic Nuncio Archbishop Egidio Vagnozzi. Around that time, the church’s main image, masterfully carved by Maximo Vicente, was placed on its altar. The building was completed in 1964 and officially established in 1975, quickly becoming a cherished destination for devotees and pilgrims seeking the intercession of Our Lady of Mount Carmel.
National recognition
Over the years, the shrine gained recognition and honor. In 2016, it was declared the National Shrine of Our Lady of Mount Carmel and, the following year, received a Spiritual Bond of Affinity with the Basilica of Sancta Maria Maggiore in Rome, one of the city’s four major basilicas. Pilgrims were granted a plenary indulgence in perpetuity, and on that same day, the church’s image received the honor of Episcopal Coronation. In 2019, the shrine was elevated to a Minor Basilica, and in 2020, Pope Francis approved its Canonical Coronation. The solemn coronation rites took place on August 15, 2020, coinciding with the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, marking yet another milestone in the life of this beloved church.
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References:
Lakansining. (2019, March 3). New Manila, Quezon City: Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish and Shrine. Lakansining. https://lakansining.wordpress.com/2019/03/03/new-manila-quezon-city-our-lady-of-mount-carmel-parish-and-shrine/
Quezon City Government. (2024, October 25). National Shrine of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish. Quezon City Government. https://quezoncity.gov.ph/place/national-shrine-of-our-lady-of-mount-carmel-parish/
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