QUICK TOUR | MINOR BASILICA AND NATIONAL SHRINE OF LA DIVINA PASTORA | LUMANG GAPAN @ NIGHT | FHE

Minor Basilica and National Shrine of La Virgen Divina Pastora
Delos Reyes Street, San Vicente, Gapan, Nueva Ecija
The Minor Basilica and National Shrine of La Virgen Divina Pastora (Filipino: Basílika Menor at Pambansang Dambana ng Mahal na Birheng Divina Pastora; Spanish: Basílica Menor y Santuario Nacional de la Virgen Divina Pastora), known canonically as the Three Kings Parish (Filipino: Parokya ng Tatlong Hari; Spanish: Parróquia de los Tres Reyes Magos), is a Roman Catholic minor basilica and national shrine in Gapan, Nueva Ecija in the Philippines that was founded in the 1500s.
It is one of the oldest Roman Catholic churches in the country, and the oldest and the biggest colonial church in Nueva Ecija. The church has been a pilgrimage site for two patron saints of Gapan and also of Nueva Ecija; the Three Kings, and the Divina Pastora (Divine Shepherdess). On April 26, 1986, the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines declared the church as a national shrine. On January 22, 2024, Pope Francis granted the title of "Minor Basilica" to the shrine.
History | Foundation
The Augustinians formally accepted Gapan and established in it a community with its own minister on August 28, 1595. Situated across the Rio Chico, Gapan was originally bounded by Manicling, San Miguel de Mayumo and the Cordillera mountains. Due to its rapid progress, the Provincial Council decreed on October 31, 1636, that Gapan be divided into two vicariates. The first will be composed of Gapan, Junas and San Miguel and the second will be composed of the areas north of the river. In 1704, Governor General Domingo de Zabalburu ordered that all Chinese living in the missions of Bongabon, Santor, Carranglan and Pantabangan transfer to Gapan. These movement witnessed the steady increase of population. In 1612 Gapan merely had a population of 1,800 which soared to 3,651 in 1760 and in 1896, 15,238.
Image of La Virgen Divina Pastora
The image of the La Virgen Divina Pastora is the object of the largest Marian pilgrimages in Central Luzon. Although the precise origins of the image are shrouded in legend, its recorded history is traced largely to the Valmonte Family.
In the 1700s, Doña Juana Valmonte, daughter of Don Bartolome de la Cruz Valmonte - Gapan's first gobernadorcillo in 1747 - and Doña Eulalia Fernández, had a strange dream in which the Virgin Mary wanted to be fetched from Spain. Distraught, she sought the advice of her father who told her to consult a friar friend in Manila. Doña Juana then traveled to Manila to recount her dream to the friar. Impressed by her story, the friar told of the devotion to the Divina Pastora which was gaining popularity in Spain. Doña Juana, on her part, ordered an image from Spain and to enthrone it in their family estate. The image eventually arrived in Manila via the Acapulco Galleon, and was brought to Gapan. It then became the center of devotion for the family. Consequently, they started to celebrate her feast in thanksgiving for a bountiful harvest every May 1.[3] Soon stories of miracles spread throughout the province and people came in throngs to celebrate the yearly fiesta.
In the 1800s, the La Virgen Divina Pastora was made patron of the parish of Gapan secondary to the Three Kings. Care of the image after the death of Dona Juana was given to her brother Don Basilio Valmonte who passed it to his son, General Panteleon Valmonte, the hero of the First Cry of Nueva Ecija. General Panteleon however was executed due to accusations of rebellion against Spain. Upon his death, the image was given to his wife Maxima Navarro-Valmonte for safekeeping. It was finally handed to Donata Valmonte-Cala and her daughter Emma Valmote-Cala.
On December 19, 1963, Pope Paul VI approved the canonical coronation of the image of La Virgen Divina Pastora. Since the original image is privately owned, a church-owned image was used for the coronation ceremony which was presided by the first Bishop of the Diocese of Cabanatuan, Most Rev. Mariano Gaviola, on April 26, 1964. The original image of the La Virgen Divina Pastora was eventually donated to the Parish of the Three Kings with the declaration of the church as a national shrine on April 26, 1986.
Minor Basilica
On January 22, 2024, the Diocese of Cabanatuan officially announced the granting of the status of "Minor Basilica" to the shrine, which will be solemnly declared on April 26, 2024. The church is the 22nd minor basilica in the Philippines and the first in the province of Nueva Ecija.
Source : en.wikipedia.o...