About 33 kilometers from Tuguegarao, the provincial capital of Cagayan, the Basilica of Our Lady of Piat (Basilica Minore Nuestra Señora de Piat) stands on the outskirts of the town of Piat. Named after two figures, the basilica has become a popular first stop for Catholic pilgrims visiting Cagayan for their Visita Iglesia.
Known as the Pilgrimage Center of the North, the shrine houses the 407-year-old image of the Black Virgin Mary, Our Lady of Piat.
A Legacy of Faith
Regarded as the patroness of the town of Piat, the image of Our Lady of Piat is among the most revered Marian images in the Philippines and is often called the Mother of Cagayan. The 16th-century Roman Catholic icon of the Blessed Virgin Mary serves as the central figure on the altar of her shrine in Piat, Cagayan, where it continues to be deeply venerated by Catholic devotees.
While the current sanctuary was originally constructed by Rev. Fr. Diego Pinero and later restored in 1875 by Fr. Jose Gurumeta, the history of Our Lady of Piat dates back to 1604, when Dominican friars brought a black image of the Virgin Mary holding the infant Jesus on her left arm from Macau to the Philippines. At that time, the image was originally known as Nuestra Señora del Santísimo Rosario (Our Lady of the Rosary).
Considered one of the oldest Marian images in the Philippines, Our Lady of Piat was proclaimed “Queen of Heaven and Earth” on June 20, 1954, during a ceremony led by papal delegate Egidio Vagnozzi. Among the Ibanag people, she is affectionately called “Yena Tam Ngamin,” which means Mother of Us All, while the residents of Piat, Cagayan refer to her as “Apo Baket,” or Grand Matriarch.
To accommodate the growing number of devotees, the basilica has undergone continuous rebuilding and renovations over the years.
At the back of the church, a staircase and passageway allow pilgrims to approach and touch the image of the Black Virgin Mary through a small window behind the altar wall. The interior has also been enhanced, including an expansion of the altar’s retablo—the shelf behind the altar that holds images of saints—to display even more sacred figures.
Located on the right side of the church, the Piat Basilica Museum, which houses numerous significant religious artifacts from the Tuguegarao Archdiocese. Donations have also been allocated to renovate the shrine’s toilets and to repaint the parish office.
A Historic Recognition
On June 22, 1999, it was elevated to the status of Basilica Minore (Minor Basilica), officially recognized by Rome, making it the first minor basilica in the region and the fourth in the Philippines. The elevation ceremony was officiated by the Vatican’s representative, Antonio Maria Cardinal Javierre Ortas.
In celebration, the Department of Tourism sponsored a santacruzan, while special prayers and services were held across 29 parishes in the province. Festivities also included a Marian choral contest at St. Paul University in Tuguegarao, a medical mission, a grand procession featuring all patron saint images alongside Our Lady of Piat, and a cultural show highlighting the documented miracles of the Virgin.
Click here to view quick facts about this parish church.
References
7641 Islands. (n.d.). What draws thousands to Cagayan’s Our Lady of Piat Church. https://7641islands.ph/explore/what-draws-thousands-to-cagayans-our-lady-of-piat-church/
The Province of Cagayan. (n.d.). Basilica Minore of Our Lady of Piat. https://theprovinceofcagayan.wordpress.com/basilica-minore-of-our-lady-of-piat/
Gascon, M. (2014, September 30). Our Lady of Piat, centerpiece of Cagayan’s gifts to Christianity. Inquirer.net. https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/594929/our-lady-of-piat-centerpiece-of-cagayans-gifts-to-christianity
Uploaded by Casason, A.R (2022. March 16). Basilica of Our Lady of Piat history [PDF]. Scribd. https://www.scribd.com/document/564924246/Basilica-of-Our-Lady-of-Piat-History
Comments
Post a Comment