Mt. Carmel church in QC to get Minor Basilica status

MANILA -- The Diocese of Cubao is inviting the faithful to attend the celebration that will elevate the National Shrine of Our Lady of Mount Carmel into a Minor Basilica on Monday.

In a post on the Diocese’s Facebook account, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Cubao said the occasion will be memorable since it is the first Basilica under the diocese.

“The Roman Catholic Diocese of Cubao, together with the Order of Discalced Carmelites and the National Shrine of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, invites all the pilgrims and devotees to the Solemn Declaration of the Shrine as a Minor Basilica, the first in the diocese on March 25, 2019 at 6 p.m.,” it said.

Bishop Honesto Ongtioco heads the diocese.

The diocese added that those who will not be able to go to the venue can also watch the livestream at the diocese’s FB page, Veritas846.ph, and the National Shrine of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel’s FB page.

Once the church is declared a Minor Basilica, the faithful would be able to see three physical signs that it has been elevated to a Minor Basilica -- the Umbraculum, Tintinnabulum, and Papal Cross keys.

The umbraculum, the “big umbrella” that is also known as a conopaeum, is a historic part of the papal regalia, once used on a daily basis to provide shade for the people.

In modern usage the umbraculum is a symbol of the Roman Catholic Church and the authority of the Pope. It is found in basilicas throughout the world, placed prominently at the right of their main altars. Whenever the pope visits a basilica its umbraculum is opened.

The tintinnabulum, like the umbraculum, indicates that the Minor Basilica of Our Lady of Mount Carmel has a special relation with the Holy Father.

The tintinnabulum, a bell mounted on a wall, is placed in a Roman Catholic Basilica to signify the church’s connection with the Pope. During the Middle Ages, the tintinnabulum was used to alert the people of the approach of the Holy Father during papal processions.

The Papal Cross Keys, the symbol of the Papacy, represent Christ’s promise to Peter. The presence of the key symbolizes the continuous relationship of the Basilica with the Holy Father in Rome.

A church, for which the title of basilica is proposed, must have been dedicated to God by a liturgical rite and must stand out as a center of active and pastoral liturgy, especially through celebrations of the Most Holy Eucharist, of penance, and the other sacraments, whose celebrations set an example for others on account of their preparation and realization, according to liturgical norms and with the active participation of the people of God.

The other well-known Minor Basilica’s in the country are the Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene (Quiapo Church) and Minor Basilica of the Immaculate Conception (Manila Cathedral). (PNA)

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http://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1065382
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