The Vatican has elevated the National Shrine and Parish of St. Padre Pio in Batangas province to international shrine status, according to a decree issued by the Holy See.

The Dicastery for Evangelization issued the decree on May 25, 2026, the 139th birth anniversary of St. Padre Pio. The parish in Sto. Tomas town made the announcement public on June 4.

The designation makes the church the second international shrine in the Philippines, following the International Shrine of Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage in Antipolo City.

Church officials described the recognition as a ‘milestone’ expected to deepen pilgrimage activity and strengthen devotion among Filipino and foreign devotees.

“May this historic milestone inspire us to deepen our faith and devotion as we journey together in prayer and thanksgiving,” it said.

The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines endorsed the bid during its plenary assembly in July 2024, unanimously supporting the application.

Church leaders cited the shrine’s strong pastoral and devotional significance across Asia, with backing from several Asian episcopal conferences helping bolster the case for Vatican recognition.

Archbishop Gilbert Garcera of Lipa previously noted that regional support strengthened the application for international shrine status.

The 12-hectare shrine in Sto. Tomas began as a small chapel in 2003, became an archdiocesan shrine in 2008 and was declared a national shrine in 2015.

It now draws hundreds of thousands of pilgrims seeking healing and devotion to St. Padre Pio, the Italian mystic known for his stigmata and healing ministry.

The shrine also houses first-class relics of the saint, whose life and reported miracles continue to inspire global Catholic devotion.

Preparations are underway for the formal declaration of the international shrine on Sept. 23, the feast day of St. Padre Pio.