National shrine


A national shrine is a Catholic church or other sacred place which has met certain requirements and is given this honor by the national episcopal conference to recognize the church's special historical, cultural and religious significance.

Process

For a church to receive the status of a national shrine involves a number of steps and certifications. It must first be designated as a diocesan shrine, an honor conferred by the local bishop or archbishop. To be designated as a diocesan shrine, the subject church must be a place "to which numerous members of the faithful make pilgrimage for a special reason of piety." It must exceed other churches in terms of worship, Christian formation, and social services. When these requirements are met, the parish petitions the bishop to canonically elevate the church.
When devotion has grown, the diocesan shrine may petition the national Conference of Catholic Bishops. Evaluation by the nation's bishops involves considerations including canon law, liturgy, and doctrine.
Declaration of an international shrine is conferred by the Holy See.

International shrines

There are 219 national shrines in the world, as well as eight international shrines.

Africa

There are three national shrines in Africa.
;Democratic Republic of Congo
  1. Blessed Anuarite National Shrine, Isiro
;Kenya
  1. National Shrine of Our Lady of Africa, Village of Mary Mother of God, Subukia
;Uganda
  1. National Shrine of the Uganda Martyrs, Namugongo

    Asia

There are 41 national shrines in Asia.
;China
  1. National Shrine Basilica of Our Lady Mary Help of Christians, Shanghai
  2. National Shrine of Our Lady of China, Donglü
;East Timor
  1. Our Lady of Aitara National Shrine, Soibada
;India
  1. National Shrine Basilica of Our Lady of Ransom, Vallarpadam
  2. National Shrine Cathedral Basilica of Saint Thomas, Chennai
  3. Saint Thomas Mount National Shrine, Chennai
;Japan
  1. National Shrine of the Twenty-Six Martyrs of Japan, Nagasaki
;Lebanon
  1. Shrine of Our Lady of Lebanon, Harissa
;Philippines
;South Korea
  1. Joeldu-san National Shrine of Korean Martyrs, Seoul
;Sri Lanka
  1. Basilica of Our Lady of Lanka, Tewatta
  2. Saint Anthony's National Shrine, Colombo
;Taiwan
  1. Basilica of the Immaculate Conception, Wanluan
  2. National Shrine of Our Lady of China, Meishan
;Vietnam
  1. Basilica of Our Lady of La Vang, La Vang

    Europe

There are 36 national shrines in Europe.
;Albania
  1. Shrine of Our Lady of Shkodra, Shkodra
;Austria
  1. Basilica of the Birth of Mary, Mariazell
;Belarus
  1. Basilica of Our Lady of the Assumption, Budslau
;Belgium
  1. Basilica of the Sacred Heart, Koekelberg
;Croatia
  1. Basilica of Our Lady of Bistrica, Marija Bistrica
  2. National Shrine of Saint Joseph, Karlovac
  3. National Shrine of Saint Nicholas Tavelic, Šibenik
;Czech Republic
  1. Cathedral of Saints Vitus, Wenceslaus and Adalbert, Prague
;England
  1. National Shrine Basilica of Our Lady of Walsingham, Little Walsingham
  2. National Shrine of Our Lady of Willesden, London
  3. National Shrine of Saint Jude, Faversham
  4. Saint Michael's Abbey, Farnborough
;France
  1. Basilica of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception, Lourdes
  2. Our Lady Help of Christians National Shrine, Nice
  3. Our Lady of Rheims Cathedral, Rheims
;Germany
  1. Basilica of Saint Ann, Altötting
;Gibraltar
  1. National Shrine of Our Lady of Europe
;Hungary
  1. Byzantine Catholic National Shrine Church of Máriapócs, Máriapócs
;Ireland
  1. Basilica Shrine of Our Lady of Knock Queen of Ireland, Knock
  2. National Shrine of Saint Oliver Plunkett, Drogheda
;Italy
  1. National Shrine of Mary Mother and Queen, Contovello
;Latvia
  1. Basilica of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
;Malta
  1. Ta' Pinu Shrine, Għarb
;Poland
  1. Archcathedral Basilica of Bishop Saint Stanislaus and Martyr and Saint Wenceslaus, Krakow
  2. Jasna Góra Shrine Basilica of the Black Madonna , Częstochowa
  3. Basilica of the Immaculate Omni-mediatress of All Glories of Niepokalanów, Teresin
;Portugal
  1. National Shrine of Christ the King, Almada
  2. National Shrine of Our Lady of the Conception, Vila Viçosa
;Scotland
  1. Metropolitan Cathedral of Our Lady of the Assumption, Edinburgh
  2. National Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes, Carfin
;Slovakia
  1. Basilica of Our Lady of Sorrows, Šaštín
;Slovenia
  1. Basilica of Mary Help of Christians, Brezje
;Spain
  1. Royal Basilica of Our Lady of Atocha, Madrid
  2. Basilica of Mary of God of Montserrat, Montserrat
  3. National Shrine of the Great Promise, Valladolid
;Wales
  1. Welsh National Shrine of Our Lady of the Taper, Cardigan

    North America

There are 101 national shrines in North America.
;Canada
  1. Basilica of Saint Ann of Beaupré, Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré
  2. National Shrine of North American Martyrs, Midland
  3. National Shrine of Our Mother of Perpetual Help, Toronto
  4. National Shrine of the Little Flower, Wakaw
  5. Our Lady of the Cape Basilica, Cap-de-la-Madeleine
  6. Saint Anthony's Hermitage, Lac-Bouchette
  7. Saint John the Baptist Ukrainian Catholic National Shrine, Ottawa
  8. Saint Joseph's Oratory of Mount Royal, Montreal
;Costa Rica
  1. Holy Christ of Esquipulas National Shrine, San José
  2. Holy Christ of Esquipulas Shrine, Santa Cruz
;Cuba
  1. National Shrine of Jesus of Nazareth of Ransom, Havana
  2. National Shrine Basilica of Our Lady of Charity of El Cobre, El Cobre
  3. National Shrine of Saint Barbara, Havana
  4. Our Lady of Regla National Shrine, Havana
  5. Saint Lazarus National Shrine, Havana
;Dominican Republic
  1. Our Lady of La Altagracia Cathedral Basilica, Higüey
  2. Our Lady of Mercies National Shrine, La Vega
  3. Holy Christ of Miracles National Shrine, Santo Domingo
;El Salvador
  1. Queen of Peace Basilica Cathedral, San Miguel
;Guatemala
  1. Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary, Guatemala City
  2. Church of Saint Francis the Great, Guatemala City
  3. Basilica of the Black Christ of Esquipulas, Esquipulas
;Haiti
  1. National Shrine of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Port-au-Prince
;Honduras
  1. Basilica of Our Lady of Suyapa, Tegucigalpa
;Mexico
  1. Distinguished and National Basilica of Saint Mary of Guadalupe, Mexico City
  2. Old Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Mexico City
;Nicaragua
  1. Our Lady of Cuapa National Shrine, Cuapa
  2. National Shrine Basilica of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception, El Viejo
;Panama
  1. National Shrine of the Heart of Mary, Panama City
;Puerto Rico
;United States of America

Oceania

There are four national shrines in Oceania.
;Australia
  1. National Shrine of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Middle Park
  2. National Shrine of Saint Anthony, Hawthorn
  3. National Shrine of Saint Thérèse of Lisieux, Kew
  4. Saint Mary's Cathedral, Sydney

    South America

There are 34 national shrines in South America.
;Argentina
  1. National Basilica of Our Lady of Luján, Luján
  2. National Shrine of Schoenstatt, Florencio Varela
  3. Shrine Basilica of Saint Rose of Lima, Buenos Aires
;Brazil
  1. National Shrine Basilica Cathedral of Our Lady of the Conception Revealed, Aparecida
  2. National Shrine of Our Lady of Loreto, Rio de Janeiro
  3. National Shrine of Saint Joseph of Anchieta, Anchieta
  4. National Shrine of the Holy Head, Cachoeira Paulista
  5. National Shrine of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Itu
  6. Shrine Basilica of Our Lady of Penha, Rio de Janeiro
;Chile
  1. Basilica of Our Lady of the Garden, Maipú
;Colombia
  1. National Shrine of Our Lady of the Garden, Bogotá
  2. Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary of Chiquinquirá, Chiquinquirá
  3. National Shrine Basilica of Our Lady of Las Lajas, Las Lajas
;Ecuador
  1. National Shrine of Our Lady Mary Nativity of El Guayco, La Magdalena
  2. National Shrine of Our Lady of El Cisne, El Cisne
  3. National Shrine of Our Lady of the Grotto of La Paz, La Paz
  4. National Shrine of Our Lady of the Presentation of El Quinche, El Quinche
  5. National Shrine of the Divine Mercy, Guayaquil
  6. Sacred Heart of Jesus Patron of Ecuador Basilica, Quito
  7. Saint Narcisa de Jesús National Shrine, Nobol
;Paraguay
  1. National Shrine of Our Lady of the Perpetual Help, Asunción
  2. National Shrine of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Asunción
  3. Our Lady of Miracles Basilica Cathedral, Caacupé
;Peru
  1. Saint Peter's Basilica, Lima
;Trinidad and Tobago
  1. National Shrine of Our Lady of Laventille, Port of Spain
  2. Shrine of the Rosary, Port of Spain
;Uruguay
  1. Basilica Cathedral and National Shrine of San José de Mayo, San José de Mayo
  2. Mary Help of Christians National Shrine, Montevideo
  3. National Shrine of the Grotto of Lourdes, Montevideo
  4. National Shrine of the Sacred Heart, Montevideo
  5. National Shrine of the Virgin of the Thirty-Three at the Basilica Cathedral of Our Lady of Luján, Florida
;Venezuela
  1. Our Lady of Coromoto Cathedral Basilica, Guanare
  2. Our Lady of Coromoto National Shrine Basilica, San Genaro de Boconoíto
  3. Shrine Basilica of Santa Capilla, Caracas