Porte della Misericordia

The Minor Basilica of the Immaculate Conception – Manila Metropolitan Cathedral, is the first Cathedral in the country. When the Philippines was separated from the Archdiocese of Mexico and became a new in 1581, Manila was chosen as the episcopal seat, and the Church of Manila dedicated to La Purísima e Inmaculada Concepción established by the secular priest Juan de Vivero in 1571 was chosen to become the Cathedral. Hence, the Manila Cathedral is aptly honored as the Mother Church of the Philippines. It was a motu proprio from Pope John Paul II himself, now a canonized saint, that this Cathedral was raised into the dignity of a Basilica on April 27, 1981, two months after his first visit to the Philippines in February 1981.