Vatican’s Leader Pope Francis named the Shrine of Our Lady of the Rosary of Manaoag as “Minor Basilica” located in Pangasinan. The said announcement was revealed few months before the actual visit of the pope in the country next year 2015.

Pope Francis is scheduled to arrive in the country this January 15 to 19, 2015; the said confirmation of the date is duly noted by Pangasinan Archbishop Socrates Villegas.

Archbishop Villegas is the current President of CBCP or (Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines) through his twitter account he tweeted “Pope Francis has granted the title Minor Basilica to the Marian Shrine of Our Lady of Manaoag. The Archdiocese of Lingayen-Dagupan is immensely blessed”.

The “Minor Basilica” is famous through its patron Our Lady of the Rosary of Manaoag which is considered by other’s as a miraculous one. The above mention Basilica is also the official parish church of Dagupan Pangasinan.

The term “Basilica” is especially recognized by the Pope wherein for him it is special and near to his heart also the pope gives priority for the sake of the development and welfare of the parish church.

Now the “Minor Basilica” is included in the list of churches with the same designation given by the Vatican namely Basilica de San Martin de Tours in Taal, Batangas; San Sebastian Church in Quiapo, Manila; Basilica del Santo Niño in Cebu City; and Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene in Quiapo.

According to Wikipedia Basilica is a term to refer specifically to a large and important church that has been given special ceremonial rights by the Pope.