Basilica of Our Lady of Piat, Minor basilica in Piat, Philippines
The Basilica of Our Lady of Piat is a sanctuary on a hilltop featuring red brick walls and a tall bell tower in Romanesque Revival style. The structure contains traditional worship spaces where visitors and believers gather for prayer and daily services.
Dominican friars brought a black image of the Virgin Mary from Macau to the Philippines in 1604, which led to the founding of this sanctuary. The site grew over centuries into a major pilgrimage destination for the region.
The local Ibanag people call the Virgin Mary statue Yena Tam Ngamin, meaning 'Mother of Us All' in their language. This name shows how deeply this sanctuary is woven into the community's spiritual life.
This basilica is open daily for visitors who wish to attend mass or pray in the sanctuary spaces. The hilltop location is accessible by foot, and crowds swell during the annual Sambali Festival from June through early July.
A special window in the basilica allows worshippers to interact directly with the sacred statue of the Virgin Mary, which is housed in a protective glass case. This feature is rarely found in other sanctuaries in the region.
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