Basilicas in the Catholic Church

The papal or major basilicas outrank in precedence all other churches. Other rankings put the cathedral (or co-cathedral) of a bishop ahead of all other churches in the same diocese, even if they have the title of minor basilica. If the cathedral is that of a suffragan diocese, it yields precedence to the cathedral of the metropolitan see. The cathedral of a primate is considered to rank higher than that of other metropolitan(s) in his circumscription (usually a present or historical state). Other classifications of churches include collegiate churches, which may or may not also be minor basilicas. The distinction between major basilicas and minor basilicas appears to have arisen in the early 18th century. The earliest document that records the use of the term major basilica dates from 1727. == Major and papal basilicas ==

Major basilicas There are four major basilicas in Rome, which among other distinct features have holy doors and to which a visit is always prescribed as one of the conditions for gaining the Roman Jubilee. Only the major basilicas are prefixed with adjective . • St. John Lateran, also called the Lateran Basilica. Since it is the cathedral of the Diocese of Rome, in the tradition of the Catholic Church, it has claims as the Mother Church of the world. For this reason, St. John Lateran is the only church that is also known as an archbasilica. • St. Peter's Basilica, also called the Vatican Basilica, is a major pilgrimage site, believed to be built over the burial place of Peter the Apostle. • St. Paul Outside the Walls, also known as the Ostian Basilica because it is situated on the road that led to Ostia, is believed to be built over the burial place of Paul the Apostle. • St. Mary Major, also called the Liberian Basilica because the original building was attributed to Pope Liberius, is the largest church in Rome dedicated to Mary, the mother of Jesus. Papal basilicas The four major basilicas, along with the minor basilica of St. Lawrence Outside-the-Walls, were formerly known as patriarchal basilicas as they were associated with the five ancient patriarchal sees of Christendom. Upon relinquishing the title of Patriarch of the West in 2006, Pope Benedict XVI renamed these basilicas from patriarchal basilicas to papal basilicas. • St. John Lateran was associated with the Pope, the Bishop of Rome and the Patriarch of the West. • St. Peter's Basilica was associated with the Patriarch of Constantinople. • St. Paul Outside the Walls was associated with the Patriarch of Alexandria. • St. Mary Major was associated with the Patriarch of Antioch. • St. Lawrence Outside the Walls was associated with the Patriarch of Jerusalem. Nominally, the respective patriarchs could avail of accommodation attached to the basilicas should they have business in Rome. These assignments, however, are now purely historical. In some cases, more than one patriarch holds the title for the same patriarchate. For example, each of the patriarchs of the Melkite Catholic, Maronite Catholic, and Syriac Catholic Churches holds the title of "Patriarch of Antioch". Each of the five papal basilicas is also one of the Seven Pilgrim Churches of Rome. == Minor basilicas ==

The regulations governing minor basilicas was determined by the Sacred Congregation of Rites in the decree of 6 June 1968. Pope John Paul II revised and refined these regulations in the light of experience and new liturgical requirements, approved and published by the Congregation of the Divine Cult and Discipline of the Sacraments in the decree of 9 November 1989. The petition of the bishop of the diocese is now required, as well as the of the diocese's National Conference of Bishops. A statement of the origin and history of the church in question, and its current religious status, is required, along with photographs of the edifice. A detailed questionnaire must be completed and submitted. The privileges attached to the status of minor basilica, which is conferred by papal brief, include a certain precedence before other churches, the right of the (a baldachin resembling an umbrella; also called , , or a ) and the bell (), which are carried side by side in procession at the head of the clergy on state occasions, and the which is worn by the canons or secular members of the collegiate chapter when assisting at the Divine Office. Architecturally, the Papal Basilica of St Francis of Assisi is an aisleless nave with lateral chapels. File:Basilica of Saint Lawrence outside the Walls.jpg|Basilica of St Lawrence Outside-the-Walls, Rome File:Assisi San Francesco BW 2.JPG|Basilica of St Francis of Assisi, Assisi File:Bazylika Santa Maria degli Angeli Asyż.jpg|St Mary of the Angels, Assisi Pontifical minor basilicas There are six pontifical minor basilicas in the world (the word "pontifical" referring to the title "pontiff" of a bishop, and more particularly of the Bishop of Rome): • Pontifical Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary, Pompei • Pontifical Basilica of St. Nicholas, Bari • Pontifical Basilica of St. Anthony, Padua • Pontifical Basilica of the Holy House, Loreto • Pontifical Basilica of St. Michael, Madrid • Basilica of Our Lady of Aparecida, Aparecida Pompei duomo.jpg|Pontifical Basilica of Our Lady of the RosaryPompei Bari Basilica San Nicola.jpg|Pontifical Basilica of St. NicholasBari Veneto Padova1 tango7174.jpg|Pontifical Basilica of St. AnthonyPadua Basilica Pontificia della Santa Casa di Loreto.jpg|Pontifical Basilica of the Holy HouseLoreto Basílica of San Miguel.jpg|Pontifical Basilica of St. MichaelMadrid Basilica of the National Shrine of Our Lady of Aparecida, 2007.jpg|Basilica of Our Lady of AparecidaAparecida Patriarchal minor basilicas There are two patriarchal minor basilicas associated with archbishops who have the title of patriarch – the Patriarchal Cathedral Basilica of St Mark in Venice and the Patriarchal Basilica of Aquileia. File:57VeneziaPzaSMarco.jpg|Patriarchal Cathedral Basilica of St. Mark Venice File:Basilica Patriarcale (Aquileia) - Exterior.jpg|Patriarchal Basilica of Aquileia Not all patriarchal cathedrals are minor basilicas. The Patriarchal Cathedral of St. Mary Major (in Lisbon, Portugal) and the Patriarchal Cathedral of Santa Catarina (in Old Goa, India) are not. Other basilicas and pilgrimages , constructed in 2002 in Kraków, Poland, received two million pilgrims in 2011. Every year, on 13 May and 13 October, the significant dates of the Fatima apparitions, pilgrims fill the country road that leads to the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Fátima with crowds that approach one million on each day. In December 2009 the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe set a new record with 6.1 million pilgrims during Friday and Saturday for the anniversary of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Ecclesiastical basilicas by region , there are 1,881 Catholic churches that bear the title of basilica. St. Mary's Cathedral in Ernakulam, India is the Episcopal See of the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church. The cathedral was elevated to the status of basilica by Pope Paul VI on 20 March 1974. St. George Forane Church in Angamaly, also of the Syro-Malabar rite, was raised to the status of basilica on 24 June 2009 by Pope Benedict XVI. On 10 May 1997 Pope John Paul II visited the Basilica of Our Lady of Lebanon in Harissa, Lebanon. The basilica is under the Maronite Catholic Patriarchate. The Basilica and National Shrine of Our Lady of Lebanon in North Jackson, Ohio, is under the jurisdiction of the Eparchy of Our Lady of Lebanon. The shrine was elevated to the status of a minor basilica by Pope Francis on 8 July 2014. Gallery of minor basilicas around the world File:Le sacre coeur (paris - france).jpg|alt=Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Paris is a minor basilica, but not an architectural basilica|Basilica of the Sacred Heart, Montmartre, Paris. File:Manila Cathedral 2024-04-07.jpg|Cathedral-Basilica of the Immaculate Conception in Manila, Philippines. File:Hildesheim St Godehard Fruehling.jpg|Basilica of Saint Gotthard in Hildesheim, Germany. File:Montreal NDame1 tango7174.jpg|Notre-Dame Basilica in Montreal, Canada. File:Walcourtbasiliek 3-08-2009 17-00-33.JPG|Basilica of Saint Maternus, Walcourt is a Gothic basilica and medieval pilgrimage site. File:Basilica of the National Shrine of Our Lady of Aparecida, 2007.jpg|Basilica of the National Shrine of Our Lady Aparecida in Aparecida, Brazil. File:SF Pasión 2021.jpg|alt=Basilica of the Sagrada Família in Barcelona is a minor basilica.|Basilica of the Sagrada Família, Eixample, Barcelona. File:St. Mary's Basilica from Walker Art Center 2016-07-14.jpg|Basilica of Saint Mary in Minneapolis, MN. The first basilica established in the United States. File:StiftKlosterneuburg b.jpg|Basilica of Our Lady in Klosterneuburg, Austria. File:Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, Washington.jpg|alt=Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C. National and Patronal Church of the United States.|Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C. National and Patronal Church of Catholicism in the United States. File:Nueva Basílica de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe, Ciudad de México.jpg|Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City, Mexico. File:Notre dame de la paix yamoussoukro by felix krohn.jpg|Basilica of Our Lady of Peace of Yamoussoukro in Yamoussoukro, Côte d'Ivoire. File:De grootste kathedraal van Nederland, de Sint Janskathedraal in 's-Hertogenbosch.jpg|alt=St. John's Cathedral ('s-Hertogenbosch) in 's-Hertogenbosch, Netherlands|St. John's Cathedral in 's-Hertogenbosch, Netherlands. File:Velankanni 2.JPG|Basilica of Our Lady of Good Health, Velankanni, India. == See also ==