The National Shrine of Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage or Antipolo Cathedral will be officially elevated to an international shrine effective March 25, 2023.

The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) news website reported that the cathedral will officially assume its new status.

The shrine likewise announced that it received the Vatican decree elevating the church to the rank of international shrine.

 “It’s official. We are now elevated into an international shrine. The decree has been sent to us by the Holy See and will be effective by March 25, 2023,” the Antipolo Cathedral Facebook announced.

March 25 coincides with the day when the statue of Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage departed the Mexican town of Acapulco on board a galleon 397 years ago.

The galleon was battered by storms and almost caught fire during the three-month voyage. Despite the numerous dangers, it arrived safely in the Philippines on June 18, 1626 thereby earning the title Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage.

Antipolo Bishop Francisco de Leon reported that the Vatican approved their petition to grant the shrine such privilege June, 2022.

The Antipolo Cathedral is the country’s first international shrine and the third in Asia, after the St. Thomas Church Malayattoor in India and the Haemi Martyrdom Holy Ground and Seoul Pilgrimage Routes in South Korea.