St. Therese Church in Antipolo City now a national shrine
By Nel Andrade
Published Mar 16, 2026 06:21 pm
The Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) has formally declared the Diocesan Shrine and Parish of St. Therese of the Child Jesus in Mayamot, Antipolo City, a national shrine on Monday, March 16, 2026, in recognition of its growing importance as a center of devotion to St. Therese not only in Rizal Province but in the entire country.
It is the second national shrine in the Diocese of Antipolo in Rizal Province after the National Shrine and Parish of the Our Lady of Aranzazu in San Mateo, Rizal.
The solemn declaration ceremony was held at 9:30 a.m., following a three-day Triduum Mass, and was officiated by Jose Cardinal Advincula, Archbishop of Manila.
Manila Archbishop Jose Cardinal Advincula (middle) shows the CBCP decree that elevates the status of the Antipolo shrine as the National Shrine and Parish of Saint Therese of the Child Jesus (Photo from the shrine's Facebook page)
Church goers will see a reconstructed facade of the shrine, that gives a new look of the then diocesan shrine parish.
The exterior of the now National Shrine and Parish of Saint Therese of the Child Jesus (Photo from CBCP News website)
The parish was established in 2003 and quickly became a popular pilgrimage site for devotees of St. Therese. In 2011, it was formally designated as a diocesan shrine, marking its growing religious significance within the diocese.
Among its notable features is a primary relic of St. Therese, brought from Lisieux, France—the hometown of the saint and the location of the Basilica of St. Therese that attracts millions of pilgrims each year.
The celebration of the Holy Mass for the solemn declaration of the National Shrine and Parish of Saint Therese of the Child Jesus in Antipolo (Photo from the national shrine's social media page)
With its elevation to a national shrine, the church is expected to attract more pilgrims from across the Philippines, particularly devotees inspired by the saint’s message of humility, trust, and love in everyday life.
Church leaders said the declaration highlights the growing devotion to Saint Thérèse and affirms the shrine’s role as a spiritual destination for Filipino Catholics seeking guidance through her “little way.”
The recognition marks a milestone not only for the parish community in Mayamot but also for the broader Catholic faithful who continue to find inspiration in the life and spirituality of the beloved French Carmelite saint.
Rizal Governor Nina Ricci Ynares led a civic welcome ceremony for the church officials led by Cardinal Advincula.
The civic ceremony prior to the solemn declaration even at the shrine. In attendance were Cardinal Advincula, Antipolo Bishop Ruperto Santos, Rizal Governor Nina Ynares and other national government officials (Photo from the national shrine's FB page)
St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus, known as the "Little Flower," is renowned for numerous miracles attributed to her intercession, largely focused on spiritual and physical healing. Major and key miracles that led to her 1925 canonization included the instant healing of Sister Gabrielle Trimusi's tubercular vertebrae and Maria Pellemans' severe tuberculosis.
There have been many written testimonies posted on the internet detailing the believers' attestations about the intercession of Saint Therese in their lives. Many of them claimed that they have received a rose or even a picture of the flower, a sign that they believed that the nun saint had intercede for them and granted their wish for a miracle.