The Saint Clement Parish Church in Angono, Rizal has been declared a diocesan shrine by Antipolo Bishop Francisco de Leon.
Parish priest Fr. Peter Julian Eymard Balatbat made the announcement on Sept. 8, on the Feast of the Nativity of Mary.
“Bishop De Leon approved the decree to declare our parish a diocesan shrine to give thanks to the Virgin Mary and to our beloved patron, St. Clement, who has been a guide and inspiration to the people of Angono and to the Catholics in Rizal and for pilgrims in different places across the country,” Balatbat said in a Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines News post.
Angono is considered the art capital of the Philippines. Formerly known as “Hacienda de Angono,”the Spanish agrarian property became a town in the late Spanish era and was dedicated to St. Clement, the only parish dedicated to the saint in the country.
San Clemente’s feast on November 23 is traditionally observed with the famous “Higantes” Festival and a fluvial (pagoda) procession in Angono. The revered saint is the patron of fishermen.
The St. Clement Parish is the 10th diocesan shrine of the Diocese of Antipolo. The others are: Our Lady of Aranzazu (San Mateo, Rizal), Our Lady of the Abandoned and St. Paul of the Cross (Marikina City), Our Lady of Light and St. Arnold Janssen (Cainta, Rizal), St. Therese of the Child Jesus (Antipolo City), St. Mary Magdalene (Pililla, Rizal), Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary (Cardona, Rizal) and St. Joseph (Baras, Rizal).
The first national shrine in the Philippines and in Southeast Asia, the Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage is also in Antipolo City.