VATICAN CITY, Rome — Though visibly frail after 38 days of hospitalization at the Gemelli University Hospital, Pope Francis has approved the elevation of the Santa Cruz Parish church, also called the Archdiocesan Shrine of the Blessed Sacrament, in Manila to a minor basilica.

The church announced its new designation with the formal installation of Father Marc Bryan Adona as the second shrine rector and its 80th parish priest. The church gained the new title of Minor Basilica of Nuestra Señora del Pilar.

Jesuit priests built the first Catholic church in the area where the present Santa Cruz Parish stands on June 20, 1619. Here the Jesuits enshrined the image of Our Lady of Pilar in 1643 to serve the predominantly Chinese residents in the area.

The original structure of the church was twice damaged by earthquakes and then completely destroyed during the Battle of Manila. The present building of the church, reconstructed in 1957, was designed to reflect the Spanish baroque style.

With the new designation, Santa Cruz Parish is now among the country’s 25 churches recognized by the Pope as a minor basilica. The honor is given to churches worldwide in acknowledgment of their historical or cultural significance, artistic beauty and importance in the life of the Church.