Our Lady of Manaoag, Minor basilica in Manaoag, Pangasinan, Philippines.
Our Lady of Manaoag is a basilica in Manaoag, Pangasinan, Philippines, known for its Neo-Romanesque design and colorful wall murals. The building extends across several dozen meters and features a three-aisle layout with vaulted ceilings and tall rows of columns.
The original chapel was founded in the early 17th century under the Augustinians, who handed it over to the Dominican order a few years later. Over the centuries the site underwent multiple expansions, eventually becoming the building that stands today.
The church takes its name from a 17th-century Marian apparition, honored today through a dressed statue kept in a gilded shrine. Pilgrims often touch the garment of the figure or bring small offerings of gratitude that they leave near the altar.
Travelers coming from Manila use buses that run along the North Luzon Expressway and reach Manaoag in four to five hours. Once there, the church can be entered year-round, though larger crowds gather during major feast days.
During World War II, four bombs fell around the church, with one even passing through the roof but failing to explode. This event reinforced the community's belief in the protection of the Virgin Mary and led to increased pilgrimages after the war ended.
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