National Shrine of Our Mother of Perpetual Help: Knowing More About the Baclaran Church

The National Shrine of Our Mother of Perpectual Help is located along Roxas Boulevard in Baclaran, Parañaque City, southern part of Metro Manila. It also known as the Redemptorist Church and commonly known as the Baclaran Church.

Baclaran church enshrines the icon of Our Mother of Perpetual Help. I took the photo of the icon below which was located at the candle lightning room. Another icon was also located at the very center of the Altar.

The devotion to Our Mother of Perpetual Help is popular among the Filipino Catholics. Devotees go to the church every Wednesday to attend the Mass and pray the Novena prayer to Our Mother of Perpetual Help. Believing that prayers will be most likely to be granted if you constantly attend the Wednesday Novena prayers. Which makes Wednesdays as popularly called as the "Baclaran Day" due to the large amount of people visiting the shrine that can cause road congestion.

The original icon placed above the main altar of the church came from Germany, and passed through Ireland and Australia before priests of the Redemptorist Order brought it to what was then the United States territory of the Philippine Islands in 1906. It bears the Papal arms in the back paneling. Since the Feast of the Immaculate Conception 1958, the shrine has been authorized by the Holy See to remain open 24 hours a day throughout the entire year. The shrine itself was blessed by Pope John Paul II during his first Apostolic Visit to Metro Manila in 1981. The shrine complex serves as the headquarters of the Manila Vice Province of Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer, while the Cebu Province of the Redemptorists is headquartered in Cebu. The modern, Romanesque Revival building has a full seating capacity of 2,000, but as many as 11,000 people (including standing) can fit inside during Masses. An estimated 120,000 devotees are currently affiliated with the Shrine. Source

The National Shrine of Our Mother of Perpetual Help church is generally not hard to find cause it is very popular so, you can easily ask someone of its location. There are lots of vendors around the vicinity as Baclaran is also known for its bargains.

I took several photos of the church already and I think the night shots make the church more magnificent with the effects of lights and solemnity of the night.