CBCP: Vatican names Padre Pio church in Batangas an int’l shrine

  MANILA, Philippines — The Vatican has elevated the National Shrine and Parish of Saint Padre Pio in Batangas to international shrine status, according to the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP). “The Dicastery for Evangelization issued the decree on May 25, 2026, the 139th birth anniversary of St. Padre Pio, though the parish