Rev. Fr. Andy Ortega Lim, the rector of the Binondo Church, led the recent concelebrated high mass, to mark the 30th year of the Binondo Church as a Minor Basilica.

Co celebrating the holy mass with Fr. Lim were Parochial Vicar, Rev. Fr. Joseph Mary Sigfred Arellano, and visiting priest, Rev. Fr. Joaquim Mascarenhas.

Also known as the Minor Basilica of San Lorenzo Ruiz, Fr. Lim at the start of the mass raised for the very first time the Apostolic Brief or the official document issued by the Vatican containing the declaration at the altar of the Binondo Church.

The basilica rector also read the English translation of the Papal decree, which was originally written in Latin. Former Manila Archbishop, the late Jaime Cardinal Sin read it during the proclamation ceremony on Oct. 25, 1992.

“We thank God for giving us the title of minor basilica. We also pray that we may continue to promote and spread the devotion to San Lorenzo Ruiz,” Fr. Lim said in his homily. San Lorenzo Ruiz, a native of Binondo, is the first Filipino saint.

“Let us not only pray for us to spread and promote devotion. What we also have to pray for is for us to be able to imitate his life as a good husband, a good father, a good family man, and a firm Christian. That is why we were given this title Minor Basilica of San Lorenzo Ruiz because of its special devotion to the first Filipino Chinese saint and because of its significance as being the Filipino Chinese who was raised at this very place, the heart of Chinatown – Binondo,” Fr. Lim stressed.

Established in 1596, Binondo Church was first known as the Church and Convent of Saint Gabriel. It was renamed the Parish of Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary until July 23, 1992, when Pope John Paul II approved the petition to elevate it as a minor basilica in honor of the first Filipino saint who once served the church as an altar boy and escribiente or an office clerk.