The elevation of a church into a basilica is a journey with Christ.
This was the message of His Eminence Jose Cardinal Advincula during the elevation of St. Dominic Parish in San Carlos City, Pangasinan as a minor basilica.
“Being a basilica church is more than just elegant decorations or grand celebrations,” Cardinal Advincula said.
“More significantly, it is about concretely signifying the mysterious presence of the Kingdom of God within and among us,” he added.
According to the Cardinal, there is a connection between St. Dominic’s Basilica and Pope Francis’ call to journey with the church.
He emphasized that the gift of being declared a basilica comes with a mission and responsibility.
The Minor Basilica of Saint Dominic in San Carlos City, Pangasinan is the first minor basilica dedicated to the founder of the Order of Preachers (Dominicans) in Asia.
The elevation rites happened last January 14, 2023, and was presided over by the Papal Nuncio to the Philippines Archbishop Charles John Brown with the bishops of Northern Luzon, members of the Dominican Order, and fellow priests.
The Minor Basilica of St. Dominic is historic in its contribution to spreading the faith in the area.
Two Dominican martyrs served in the said parish; Santo Domingo Ybanez de Erquicia who was martyred in Nagasaki Japan and San Francisco Gil de Federich who was martyred in Vietnam. (Mio Angelo Hermoso/SOCOM/San Juan Nepomuceno Parish)
