Basilica del Santo Niño
| Santo Niño Basilica | |
|---|---|
| Basílica Minore del Santo Niño de Cebú | |
| The Mother and Head of all Churches in the Philippines | |
Basilica facade in 2024 | |
Santo Niño Basilica Location in Metro Cebu Santo Niño Basilica Location in Cebu Santo Niño Basilica Location in the Visayas Santo Niño Basilica Location in the Philippines | |
| 10°17′38″N 123°54′5″E / 10.29389°N 123.90139°E | |
| Location | Cebu City |
| Country | Philippines |
| Language(s) | Cebuano, English |
| Denomination | Latin Catholic |
| Religious order | Order of St. Augustine |
| Website | Basilica del Santo Niño |
| History | |
| Former name(s) | Church and Convent of Saint Augustine |
| Status | Minor basilica |
| Founded | April 28, 1565 |
| Founder(s) | Andrés de Urdaneta, O.S.A. Diego de Herrera, O.S.A. |
| Dedication | Santo Niño de Cebú |
| Dedicated | February 28, 1965 |
| Earlier dedication | January 16, 1740 |
| Events | Sinulog (Third Sunday of January) Kaplag (April 28) |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Heritage designation | |
| Designated |
|
| Architect(s) | Fray Juan de Albarran, O.S.A. |
| Architectural type | Cruciform church and convent |
| Style | Blend of Earthquake Baroque, Muslim, Romanesque and Neo-classical. |
| Years built |
|
| Groundbreaking | February 24, 1735 |
| Completed | January 16, 1740 |
| Specifications | |
| Length | 62.3 m (204 ft) |
| Width | 17.7 m (58 ft) |
| Width across transepts | 31.2 m (102 ft) |
| Other dimensions | Façade facing southwest |
| Number of towers | 1 |
| Materials | Stone |
| Bells | 7 (6) |
| Administration | |
| Archdiocese | Cebu |
| Deanery | Most Holy Rosary |
| Clergy | |
| Prior | Rev. Fr. Danilo M. Carido, O.S.A. |
| Rector | Rev. Fr. Andres D. Rivera Jr., O.S.A. |
National Historical Landmarks | |
| Official name | Church and Convent of Santo Niño |
| Type | House of Worship |
| Designated | August 1, 1973 |
| Region | Central Visayas |
| Legal Basis | Presidential Decree No. 260, s. 1973 |
| Marker Date | 1941 |
| Official name | Basilica Minore del Santo Niño de Cebu |
| Designated | April 14, 2021 |
| Region | Central Visayas |
The Basílica Minore del Santo Niño de Cebú, or simply the Santo Niño Basilica, is a Catholic minor basilica in Cebu City, Philippines. It was originally founded by Augustinian friars Andrés de Urdaneta and Diego de Herrera in 1565. It is the oldest church in the country and is purported to have been built on the site where the image of the Santo Niño de Cebú was rediscovered during the expedition of the Spanish conquistador Miguel López de Legazpi.
The original image of the Child Jesus was presented by Ferdinand Magellan to the chief consort of Rajah Humabon on the occasion of their royal baptism in 1521. The image was later found by a soldier named Juan de Camuz 40 years afterward, following Legazpi’s burning of a local settlement.
The present building was completed in 1740 and was designated by the Holy See as the "Mother and Head of all Churches in the Philippines". It is administered by the Augustinian Province of Santo Niño de Cebu. Pope Paul VI raised the shrine to the status of minor basilica through his pontifical decree Ut Clarificetur Nomen on 1 April 1965. The decree was signed and notarized by Cardinal Amleto Cicognani.