Antipolo Cathedral receives ‘golden rose’ from Pope Francis

The International Shrine of the Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage in Antipolo City has been bestowed with the gift of the Golden Rose or Rosa d’Oro from Pope Francis.

In social media post, the Antipolo Church shared photos of the golden rose from Pope Francis, which was offered at the foot of the image of Nuestra Señora de la Paz y Buen Viaje by His Excellency, Most Reverend Salvatore "Rino" Fisichella, D.D., Pro-Prefect of the Section on Fundamental Questions regarding Evangelization in the World of the Dicastery for Evangelization of the Holy See during a mass on Monday.

According to the post, the “golden rose is considered the highest honor given personally by the Supreme Pontiff to a Marian image and shrine across the world, as it is a commissioned gift from the Pope himself.”

“Since the Middle Ages, roses made of pure gold have been traditionally blessed by the Pope every Laetare Sunday or the 4th Sunday of Lent, wherein he puts incense into the censer and incenses the balsam and then the musk, and afterward puts the balsam and powdered musk into the tiny cup in the heart of the principal rose,” it added. 

While Antipolo Shrine is only the 3rd church and the 1st Marian Shrine in Asia to be given the honor, it is the first Marian Shrine in the Philippines to receive such a gift.

The golden rose was first bestowed by Pope Pius XII at the tomb of St. Francis Xavier at Se Cathedral in Goa, India, making it the first church to be given in Asia. 

Pope Paul VI, on the other hand, also bestowed the golden rose at the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem. 

In January, the Antipolo Cathedral was officially declared an international shrine, making it the the first international shrine in the Philippines and Southeast Asia.

In June 2022, the Vatican approved the petition to elevate the Antipolo Cathedral to an international shrine.

— Jade Veronique Yap/LA, GMA Integrated News