The Shrine of St. Padre Pio in Sto. Tomas, Batangas was officially declared an international shrine on Wednesday, Sept. 23, coinciding with the Solemnity of St. Padre Pio.

The declaration was witnessed by bishops, priests, religious leaders, pilgrims, devotees and other faithful who gathered at the shrine for the occasion.

“With bishops, priests, religious, pilgrims, devotees, guests, and the faithful gathered in prayer, we witnessed the Official Declaration of the Shrine of St. Padre Pio as an International Shrine—a grace-filled milestone that will forever be part of the story of this sacred place,” the organizers said in a social media post.

The Vatican decree declaring the church an international shrine was issued by the Dicastery for Evangelization on May 25, 2026, marking the 139th birth anniversary of St. Padre Pio.

The shrine is now the second international shrine in the Philippines, following the International Shrine of Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage, also known as Antipolo Cathedral.

The designation recognizes the shrine’s significance as a place of pilgrimage and devotion to St. Padre Pio.