Manila Cathedral

The Manila Metropolitan Cathedral-Basilica, informally known as the Manila Cathedral, is a Roman Catholic basilica located in Manila, Philippines, dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary as Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception, the Principal Patroness of the Philippines. The cathedral serves as the see of the Archbishop of Manila, the de facto Primate of the Philippines.


Located at Plaza de Roma in the Intramuros district of Manila, the cathedral was originally a parish church owned and governed by the Diocese of Mexico in 1571, until it became a separate diocese on February 6, 1579 upon the issuance of the papal bull, Illius Fulti Praesido by Pope Gregory XIII.

The cathedral was damaged and destroyed several times since the original structure was built in 1581. The eighth and current instance of the cathedral was completed in 1958, with the Archbishop officially becoming the country's Metropolitan after full sovereignty was regained from the United States in 1946.

The basilica has merited three papal endorsements and two apostolic visits from Pope Gregory XIII, Pope Paul VI and Pope John Paul II, who through the papal bull Quod Ipsum declared the cathedral a minor basilica by his own Motu Proprio on April 27, 1981.

It is really amazing that the church is so old. It is one my favorite church in the Luzon, first is the Paoay Church.

For the people who would like to tour Manila, why not try to visit the churches in Intramuros, especially the Manila Cathedral.