The Jaro Cathedral

The Jaro Cathedral
The Jaro Cathedral | @museumxstOries (follow at Instagram)

The National Shrine of Our Lady of Candles, also known as Jaro Cathedral, is a historic gem in Iloilo City, Philippines. Established in 1575 and consecrated in 1874, this Romanesque Revival cathedral is the seat of the Archdiocese of Jaro. In 2012, it was declared a National Shrine and is famous for housing the first Marian image in Asia canonically crowned by Pope John Paul II in 1981.

Did you know? The cathedral’s bell tower stands across the street. The shrine also has ties to notable figures, including the baptism of national hero Graciano Lopez Jaena and Senator Grace Poe.