Pope Francis has granted approval for pilgrims to gain a plenary indulgence when they visit the historic Minor Basilica of Our Lady of Piat in Cagayan.
Archdiocese of Tuguegarao Archbishop Ricardo Baccay made the request on the occasion of the 400th anniversary of the shrine of the revered 16th century image of Our Lady of Piat.
The Apostolic Penitentiary, through a most special faculty from the Pope, released the decree on the grant of plenary indulgences on Dec. 5, upon the request of Archbishop Baccay, the CBCP said.
The plenary indulgence, the removal of all punishments due to sin, may be obtained in the course of the year long celebration from Dec. 26, 2023 to Dec. 26, 2024.
The decree was signed by the Vatican’s major penitentiary, Cardinal Maurus Piacenza and Monsignor Christopher Nykiel, the regent.
The faithful must make a pilgrimage to the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Piat either individually or in groups. They may also spend some time in pious contemplation before an image of Our Lady of Piat publicly exposed for veneration and pray the Lord’s Prayer, the Creed and an invocation to the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Pilgrims are also reminded of the usual conditions to gain a plenary indulgence -sacramental confession, receiving holy communion in a state of grace and praying for the intentions of the Holy Father.
Those who are unable to visit the shrine physically for health reasons “may also gain the same indulgence, where there is repentance of sin with the intention of fulfilling at the first possible opportunity the three conditions, if they join themselves spiritually to the celebrations in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary and offer their pains and sufferings in their own lives to the mercy of God,” the decree said.
The rector of the Our Lady of Piat Shrine and its priests were also instructed to make available the sacrament of confession for longer hours to allow the most number of people to obtain the plenary indulgence.
Also known as the Our Lady of the Rosary of the Visitation, the black image of the Madonna and Child was brought to the Philippines from Macau by Dominican missionaries in 1604 and was originally enshrined in Lal-lo, Cagayan, then the seat of the Diocese of Nueva Segovia.
Two decades later, the miraculous image was transferred to the Shrine of Our Lady of Piat, in Piat, Cagayan, about 30 minutes from Tuguegarao, the provincial capital.
Declared a minor basilica in 1999, the shrine is a popular pilgrimage site in northeast Luzon.
Popularly known as the Mother of Cagayan, devotees celebrate the feast of Our Lady of Piat on July 2.