In the

Catholic Church The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...

, a basilica is a designation given by the

Pope The pope ( la, papa, from el, πάππας, translit=pappas, 'father'), also known as supreme pontiff ( or ), Roman pontiff () or sovereign pontiff, is the bishop of Rome (or historically the patriarch of Rome), head of the worldwide Cathol ...

to a

church building A church, church building or church house is a building used for Christian worship services and other Christian religious activities. The earliest identified Christian church is a house church founded between 233 and 256. From the 11th thro ...

. Basilicas are distinguished for ceremonial purposes from other churches. The building need not be a

basilica In Ancient Roman architecture, a basilica is a large public building with multiple functions, typically built alongside the town's forum. The basilica was in the Latin West equivalent to a stoa in the Greek East. The building gave its name ...

in the architectural sense (a rectangular building with a central nave flanked by two or more longitudinal aisles). Basilicas are either major basilicas – of which there are four, all in the

Diocese of Rome The Diocese of Rome ( la, Dioecesis Urbis seu Romana; it, Diocesi di Roma) is the ecclesiastical district under the direct jurisdiction of the Pope, who is Bishop of Rome and hence the supreme pontiff and head of the worldwide Catholic Church. ...

– or minor basilicas, of which there were 1,810 worldwide . Numerous basilicas are notable

shrines A shrine ( la, scrinium "case or chest for books or papers"; Old French: ''escrin'' "box or case") is a sacred or holy sacred space, space dedicated to a specific deity, ancestor worship, ancestor, hero, martyr, saint, Daemon (mythology), daem ...

, often even receiving significant

pilgrimages A pilgrimage is a journey, often into an unknown or foreign place, where a person goes in search of new or expanded meaning about their self, others, nature, or a higher good, through the experience. It can lead to a personal transformation, aft ...

, especially among the many that were built above a ''confessio'' or the burial place of a martyr – although this term now usually designates a space before the high altar that is sunk lower than the main floor level (as in the case in St Peter's and St John Lateran in Rome) and that offer more immediate access to the burial places below. Some Catholic basilicas are Catholic pilgrimage sites, receiving tens of millions of visitors per year.Sacred Travels by Lester Meera 2011 page 53 Churches designated as papal basilicas, in particular, possess a papal

throne A throne is the seat of state of a potentate or dignitary, especially the seat occupied by a sovereign on state occasions; or the seat occupied by a pope or bishop on ceremonial occasions. "Throne" in an abstract sense can also refer to the monar ...

and a papal

high altar An altar is a table or platform for the presentation of religious offerings, for sacrifices, or for other ritualistic purposes. Altars are found at shrines, temples, churches, and other places of worship. They are used particularly in paganis ...

, at which no one may celebrate

Mass Mass is an intrinsic property of a body. It was traditionally believed to be related to the quantity of matter in a physical body, until the discovery of the atom and particle physics. It was found that different atoms and different elementar ...

without the pope's permission.

Ranking of churches

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 In Ecclesiastical polity, church governance, a diocese or bishopric is the ecclesiastical district under the jurisdiction of a bishop. History In the later organization of the Roman Empire, the increasingly subdivided Roman province, pro ...

, even if they have the title of minor basilica. If the cathedral is that of a

suffragan A suffragan bishop is a type of bishop in some Christian denominations. In the Anglican Communion, a suffragan bishop is a bishop who is subordinate to a metropolitan bishop or diocesan bishop (bishop ordinary) and so is not normally jurisdictiona ...

diocese, it yields precedence to the cathedral of the metropolitan see. The cathedral of a

primate Primates are a diverse order of mammals. They are divided into the strepsirrhines, which include the lemurs, galagos, and lorisids, and the haplorhines, which include the tarsiers and the simians (monkeys and apes, the latter including huma ...

is considered to rank higher than that of other metropolitan(s) in his circonscription (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 eighteenth century. The earliest document that records the use of the term "major basilica" dates from 1727. Sergio Bianchi, ''Le Basiliche Minori'' (Rome: Marianum 1976), 2.

Major and papal basilicas

To the category "Major basilica" belong only the four great churches of Rome, which among other distinctions have a special "

holy door A Holy Door ( la, Porta Sancta) is traditionally an entrance portal located within the Papal major basilicas in Rome. The doors are normally sealed by mortar and cement from the inside so that they cannot be opened. They are ceremoniously open ...

" and to which a visit is always prescribed as one of the conditions for gaining the

Roman Jubilee A jubilee is a special year of remission of sins and universal pardon. In '' Leviticus'', a jubilee year ( he, יובל ''yūḇāl'') is mentioned to occur every 50th year; during which slaves and prisoners would be freed, debts would be forgiv ...

. Only the major basilicas may prefix their titles with the adjective ''sacrosancta'' (most holy). *

St. John Lateran The Archbasilica Cathedral of the Most Holy Savior and of Saints John the Baptist and John the Evangelist in the Lateran ( it, Arcibasilica del Santissimo Salvatore e dei Santi Giovanni Battista ed Evangelista in Laterano), also known as the Papa ...

, also called the Lateran Basilica. Since it is the cathedral of the

, in the tradition of the Catholic Church, it has claims as the

Mother Church Mother church or matrice is a term depicting the Christian Church as a mother in her functions of nourishing and protecting the believer. It may also refer to the primary church of a Christian denomination or diocese, i.e. a cathedral or a metro ...

of the world. For this reason, St John Lateran is the only church that is also known as an "archbasilica". *

St. Peter's Basilica The Papal Basilica of Saint Peter in the Vatican ( it, Basilica Papale di San Pietro in Vaticano), or simply Saint Peter's Basilica ( la, Basilica Sancti Petri), is a church built in the Renaissance style located in Vatican City, the papal e ...

, also called the Vatican Basilica, is a major pilgrimage site, built over the burial place of

Saint Peter Saint Peter; he, שמעון בר יונה, Šimʿōn bar Yōnāh; ar, سِمعَان بُطرُس, translit=Simʿa̅n Buṭrus; grc-gre, Πέτρος, Petros; cop, Ⲡⲉⲧⲣⲟⲥ, Petros; lat, Petrus; ar, شمعون الصفـا, Sham'un ...

. *

St. Paul Outside the Walls The Papal Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls ( it, Basilica Papale di San Paolo fuori le Mura), commonly known as Saint Paul's Outside the Walls, is one of Rome's four major papal basilicas, along with the basilicas of Saint John in the ...

, also known as the Ostian Basilica because it is situated on the road that led to Ostia, is built over the burial place of

Paul the Apostle Paul; grc, Παῦλος, translit=Paulos; cop, ⲡⲁⲩⲗⲟⲥ; hbo, פאולוס השליח (previously called Saul of Tarsus;; ar, بولس الطرسوسي; grc, Σαῦλος Ταρσεύς, Saũlos Tarseús; tr, Tarsuslu Pavlus; ...

. *

St. Mary Major The Basilica of Saint Mary Major ( it, Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore, ; la, Basilica Sanctae Mariae Maioris), or church of Santa Maria Maggiore, is a Major papal basilica as well as one of the Seven Pilgrim Churches of Rome and the larges ...

, also called the Liberian Basilica because the original building (not the present one) was attributed to

Pope Liberius Pope Liberius (310 – 24 September 366) was the bishop of Rome from 17 May 352 until his death. According to the '' Catalogus Liberianus'', he was consecrated on 22 May as the successor to Pope Julius I. He is not mentioned as a saint in t ...

, is the largest church in Rome dedicated to the

Virgin Mary Mary; arc, ܡܪܝܡ, translit=Mariam; ar, مريم, translit=Maryam; grc, Μαρία, translit=María; la, Maria; cop, Ⲙⲁⲣⲓⲁ, translit=Maria was a first-century Jewish woman of Nazareth, the wife of Joseph and the mother o ...

. The four major basilicas, together 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 (see

Pentarchy Pentarchy (from the Greek , ''Pentarchía'', from πέντε ''pénte'', "five", and ἄρχειν ''archein'', "to rule") is a model of Church organization formulated in the laws of Emperor Justinian I (527–565) of the Roman Empire. In this ...

). Upon relinquishing the title of

Patriarch of the West Patriarch of the West ( la, Patriarcha Occidentis) was, on several occasions between AD 450 and 2006, one of the official titles of the bishop of Rome, as patriarch and highest authority of the Latin Church. The title no longer appears among the ...

in 2006,

Pope Benedict XVI Pope Benedict XVI ( la, Benedictus XVI; it, Benedetto XVI; german: link=, Benedikt XVI; born Joseph Aloisius Ratzinger; 16 April 1927 – 31 December 2022) was the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 19 ...

renamed these basilicas from "Patriarchal basilicas" to "Papal basilicas". *

was associated with the

, the

Bishop of Rome A bishop is an ordained clergy member who is entrusted with a position of authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance of dioceses. The role or office of bishop is ca ...

and the

. *

was associated with the

Patriarch of Constantinople The ecumenical patriarch ( el, Οἰκουμενικός Πατριάρχης, translit=Oikoumenikós Patriárchēs) is the archbishop of Constantinople (Istanbul), New Rome and '' primus inter pares'' (first among equals) among the heads of th ...

. *

was associated with the

Patriarch of Alexandria The Patriarch of Alexandria is the archbishop of Alexandria, Egypt. Historically, this office has included the designation "pope" (etymologically "Father", like "Abbot"). The Alexandrian episcopate was revered as one of the three major episco ...

. *

was associated with the

Patriarch of Antioch Patriarch of Antioch is a traditional title held by the bishop of Antioch (modern-day Antakya, Turkey). As the traditional "overseer" (ἐπίσκοπος, ''episkopos'', from which the word ''bishop'' is derived) of the first gentile Christian c ...

. * 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.Dictionnaire de droit canonique, vol. 2, s.v. "basilique," p. 242 (1937). 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 Catholic patriarchs of the

Melkite The term Melkite (), also written Melchite, refers to various Eastern Christianity, Eastern Christian churches of the Byzantine Rite and their members originating in the Middle East. The term comes from the common Central Semitic Semitic root, ro ...

Maronite The Maronites ( ar, الموارنة; syr, ܡܖ̈ܘܢܝܐ) are a Christian ethnoreligious group native to the Eastern Mediterranean and Levant region of the Middle East, whose members traditionally belong to the Maronite Church, with the larges ...

and

Syrian Syrians ( ar, سُورِيُّون, ''Sūriyyīn'') are an Eastern Mediterranean ethnic group indigenous to the Levant. They share common Levantine Semitic roots. The cultural and linguistic heritage of the Syrian people is a blend of both indi ...

rites holds the title of "Patriarch of Antioch".

Gallery of major basilicas

File:San Giovanni in Laterano - Rome.jpg, Archbasilica of St John Lateran
File:Basilica di San Pietro in Vaticano September 2015-1a.jpg, St. Peter's Basilica File:Roma San Paolo fuori le mura BW 1.JPG, Basilica of St Paul Outside-the-Walls
File:Santa Maria Maggiore (Rome) frontview.jpg, Basilica of St Mary Major

Minor basilicas

The privileges attached to the status of minor basilica, which is conferred by

papal brief A papal brief or breve is a formal document emanating from the Pope, in a somewhat simpler and more modern form than a papal bull. History The introduction of briefs, which occurred at the beginning of the pontificate of Pope Eugene IV (3 Marc ...

, include a certain precedence before other churches, the right of the '' conopaeum'' (a

baldachin A baldachin, or baldaquin (from it, baldacchino), is a canopy of state typically placed over an altar or throne. It had its beginnings as a cloth canopy, but in other cases it is a sturdy, permanent architectural feature, particularly over h ...

resembling an umbrella; also called ''umbraculum'', ''ombrellino'', ''papilio'', ''sinicchio'', etc.) and the bell (''

tintinnabulum A tintinnabulum (roughly "little bell" in Medieval Latin) is a bell mounted on a pole, placed in a Roman Catholic basilica to signify the church's link with the Pope. It consists of a small gold bell within a golden frame crowned with the papal ...

''), which are carried side by side in procession at the head of the clergy on state occasions, and the

cappa magna The cope (known in Latin as ''pluviale'' 'rain coat' or ''cappa'' 'cape') is a liturgical vestment, more precisely a long mantle or cloak, open in front and fastened at the breast with a band or clasp. It may be of any liturgical colour. A co ...

which is worn by the canons or secular members of the

collegiate chapter In Christianity, a collegiate church is a church where the daily office of worship is maintained by a college of canons: a non-monastic or "secular" community of clergy, organised as a self-governing corporate body, which may be presided over by a ...

when assisting at the Divine Office. In the case of major basilicas these umbraculae are made of

cloth of gold Cloth of gold or gold cloth (Latin: ''Tela aurea'') is a fabric woven with a gold-wrapped or spun weft—referred to as "a spirally spun gold strip". In most cases, the core yarn is silk, wrapped (''filé'') with a band or strip of high conten ...

and red velvet, while those of minor basilicas are made of yellow and red silk – the colors traditionally associated with both the

Papal See The Holy See ( lat, Sancta Sedes, ; it, Santa Sede ), also called the See of Rome, Petrine See or Apostolic See, is the jurisdiction of the Pope in his role as the bishop of Rome. It includes the apostolic episcopal see of the Diocese of Rome ...

and the city of Rome. Regarding ''minor basilicas'' the terms "papal minor basilica", "pontifical minor basilica" and "patriarchal minor basilica" are also in use.

Papal minor basilicas

There are three papal minor basilicas, one in Rome, Basilica of St Lawrence Outside-the-Walls, and two in

Assisi Assisi (, also , ; from la, Asisium) is a town and ''comune'' of Italy in the Province of Perugia in the Umbria region, on the western flank of Monte Subasio. It is generally regarded as the birthplace of the Latin poet Propertius, born aroun ...

The title of minor basilicas was first attributed to the church of San Nicola di Tolentino in 1783. Older minor basilicas are referred to as ''"immemorial basilica"''. associated with Saint

Francis of Assisi Giovanni di Pietro di Bernardone, better known as Saint Francis of Assisi ( it, Francesco d'Assisi; – 3 October 1226), was a mystic Italian Catholic friar, founder of the Franciscans, and one of the most venerated figures in Christianit ...

situated in or near his home town. 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 five pontifical minor basilicas in the world (the word "pontifical" referring to the title "

pontiff A pontiff (from Latin ''pontifex'') was, in Roman antiquity, a member of the most illustrious of the colleges of priests of the Roman religion, the College of Pontiffs."Pontifex". "Oxford English Dictionary", March 2007 The term "pontiff" was late ...

" of a bishop, and more particularly of the Bishop of Rome): * Pontifical Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary,

Pompei Pompei (; nap, Pumpeje, ) or Pompeii (, as in the name of the ancient city) is a city and commune in the Metropolitan City of Naples, Italy, home of the ancient Roman ruins of Pompeii that are part of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites. History ...

* Pontifical Basilica of St Nicholas,

Bari Bari ( , ; nap, label= Barese, Bare ; lat, Barium) is the capital city of the Metropolitan City of Bari and of the Apulia region, on the Adriatic Sea, southern Italy. It is the second most important economic centre of mainland Southern Italy a ...

* Pontifical Basilica of St Anthony,

Padua Padua ( ; it, Padova ; vec, Pàdova) is a city and ''comune'' in Veneto, northern Italy. Padua is on the river Bacchiglione, west of Venice. It is the capital of the province of Padua. It is also the economic and communications hub of the ...

* Pontifical Basilica of the Holy House, Loreto * Pontifical Basilica of St Michael,

Madrid Madrid ( , ) is the capital and most populous city of Spain. The city has almost 3.4 million inhabitants and a metropolitan area population of approximately 6.7 million. It is the second-largest city in the European Union (EU), and ...

Pompei duomo.jpg, Pontifical Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary

Bari Basilica San Nicola.jpg, Pontifical Basilica of St Nicholas

Veneto Padova1 tango7174.jpg, Pontifical Basilica of St Anthony

Basilica Pontificia della Santa Casa di Loreto.jpg, Pontifical Basilica of the Holy House
Loreto Basílica of San Miguel.jpg, Pontifical Basilica of St Michael

Patriarchal minor basilicas

The description patriarchal applies to two minor basilicas associated with archbishops who have the title of patriarch: Patriarchal Cathedral Basilica of St Mark in

Venice Venice ( ; it, Venezia ; vec, Venesia or ) is a city in northeastern Italy and the capital of the Veneto Regions of Italy, region. It is built on a group of 118 small islands that are separated by canals and linked by over 400 ...

and the Patriarchal Basilica of Aquileia. File:57VeneziaPzaSMarco.jpg, Patriarchal Cathedral Basilica of St Mark in

File:Basilica Aquileia 110.jpg, Patriarchal Basilica of Aquileia. Not all patriarchal cathedrals are minor basilicas, notably: the Patriarchal Cathedral of St Mary Major in

Lisbon Lisbon (; pt, Lisboa ) is the capital and largest city of Portugal, with an estimated population of 544,851 within its administrative limits in an area of 100.05 km2. Grande Lisboa, Lisbon's urban area extends beyond the city's administr ...

Portugal Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic ( pt, República Portuguesa, links=yes ), is a country whose mainland is located on the Iberian Peninsula of Southwestern Europe, and whose territory also includes the Atlantic archipelagos of ...

, and the Patriarchal Cathedral of Santa Catarina,

Old Goa Old Goa ( Konkani: ; pt, Velha Goa, translation='Old Goa') is a historical site and city situated on the southern banks of the River Mandovi, within the Tiswadi ''taluka'' (''Ilhas'') of North Goa district, in the Indian state of Goa. The ci ...

India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...

are not.

Basilicas and pilgrimages

In recent times, the title of minor basilica has been attributed to important

pilgrimage churches A pilgrimage is a journey, often into an unknown or foreign place, where a person goes in search of new or expanded meaning about their self, others, nature, or a higher good, through the experience. It can lead to a personal transformation, aft ...

. In 1999 Bishop Francesco Giogia stated that the

Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe The Basilica of Santa María de Guadalupe, officially called Insigne y Nacional Basílica de Santa María de Guadalupe (in English: Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe) is a sanctuary of the Catholic Church, dedicated to the Virgin Mary in her invo ...

Mexico City Mexico City ( es, link=no, Ciudad de México, ; abbr.: CDMX; Nahuatl: ''Altepetl Mexico'') is the capital and largest city of Mexico, and the most populous city in North America. One of the world's alpha cities, it is located in the Valley o ...

(constructed in the 20th century) was the most visited Catholic shrine in the world, followed by

San Giovanni Rotondo San Giovanni Rotondo is the name of a town and ''comune'' in the province of Foggia and region of Apulia, in southern Italy. San Giovanni Rotondo was the home of Saint Pio of Pietrelcina from 28 July 1916 until his death on 23 September 1968. T ...

and

Basilica of the National Shrine of Our Lady of Aparecida The Cathedral Basilica of the National Shrine of Our Lady Aparecida ( pt, Catedral Basílica do Santuário Nacional de Nossa Senhora Aparecida) is a prominent Roman Catholic minor basilica, basilica in Aparecida, Brazil. It is dedicated to Our La ...

in Brazil. Millions of pilgrims visit the shrines of

Our Lady of Lourdes Our Lady of Lourdes (french: Notre-Dame de Lourdes) is a title of the Virgin Mary. She is venerated under this title by the Roman Catholic church due to her apparitions that occurred in Lourdes, France. The first apparition of 11 February 1858, o ...

and

Our Lady of Fatima Our or OUR may refer to: * The possessive form of " we" * Our (river), in Belgium, Luxembourg, and Germany * Our, Belgium, a village in Belgium * Our, Jura, a commune in France * Office of Utilities Regulation (OUR), a government utility regulato ...

. Pilgrimage basilicas continue to attract well over 30 million pilgrims per year. Ireland contains two pilgrimage basilicas:

Knock Shrine The Sanctuary of Our Lady of Knock, commonly referred to as Knock Shrine, is a Roman Catholic pilgrimage site and national shrine in the village of Knock, County Mayo, Ireland, where locals claimed to have seen an apparition in 1879 of the Ble ...

and

St Patrick's Purgatory St Patrick's Purgatory is an ancient pilgrimage site on Station Island in Lough Derg (Donegal), Lough Derg, County Donegal, Ireland. According to legend, the site dates from the fifth century, when Christ showed Saint Patrick a cave, sometime ...

(Lough Derg). 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 Our Lady of Guadalupe ( es, Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe), also known as the Virgin of Guadalupe ( es, Virgen de Guadalupe), is a Catholic title of Mary, mother of Jesus associated with a series of five Marian apparitions, which are believed t ...

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 1,814 Roman 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 lat, Ecclesia Syrorum-Malabarensium mal, മലബാറിലെ സുറിയാനി സഭ , native_name_lang=, image = St. Thomas' Cross (Chennai, St. Thomas Mount).jpg , caption = The Mar Thoma Nasrani Sl ...

. The cathedral was elevated to the status of basilica by

Pope Paul VI Pope Paul VI ( la, Paulus VI; it, Paolo VI; born Giovanni Battista Enrico Antonio Maria Montini, ; 26 September 18976 August 1978) was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City, Vatican City State from 21 June 1963 to his ...

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 Pope Benedict XVI ( la, Benedictus XVI; it, Benedetto XVI; german: link=no, Benedikt XVI.; born Joseph Aloisius Ratzinger, , on 16 April 1927) is a retired prelate of the Catholic church who served as the head of the Church and the sovereign ...

. On 10 May 1997

Pope John Paul II Pope John Paul II ( la, Ioannes Paulus II; it, Giovanni Paolo II; pl, Jan Paweł II; born Karol Józef Wojtyła ; 18 May 19202 April 2005) was the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 1978 until his ...

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, USA 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 Pope Francis ( la, Franciscus; it, Francesco; es, link=, Francisco; born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, 17 December 1936) is the head of the Catholic Church. He has been the bishop of Rome and sovereign of the Vatican City State since 13 March 2013. ...

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 Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...

File:Brussels Koekelberg Basilica.jpg, Koekelberg Basilica, Brussels File:Front view of The Cathedral in Intramuros, Manila.jpg, Cathedral in Intramuros, Manila in

Manila Manila ( , ; fil, Maynila, ), officially the City of Manila ( fil, Lungsod ng Maynila, ), is the capital of the Philippines, and its second-most populous city. It is highly urbanized and, as of 2019, was the world's most densely populate ...

Philippines The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no), * bik, Republika kan Filipinas * ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas * cbk, República de Filipinas * hil, Republ ...

File:Montreal NDame1 tango7174.jpg, Notre-Dame Basilica, in

Montreal Montreal ( ; officially Montréal, ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, second-most populous city in Canada and List of towns in Quebec, most populous city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian ...

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...

File:Walcourtbasiliek 3-08-2009 17-00-33.JPG,

Basilica of Saint Maternus The Basilica of Saint Maternus (french: Basilique Saint-Materne), also known as the basilica of Our Lady (''basilique Notre-Dame'') is a minor basilica in Walcourt, in the Namur Province of Belgium. According to legend, an oratory was founded her ...

Walcourt Walcourt (; wa, Walcoû) is a city and municipality of Wallonia located in the province of Namur, Belgium. On 1 January 2006 the municipality had 17,516 inhabitants. The total area is 123.18 km2, giving a population density of 142 inhabitant ...

is a

Gothic Gothic or Gothics may refer to: People and languages *Goths or Gothic people, the ethnonym of a group of East Germanic tribes **Gothic language, an extinct East Germanic language spoken by the Goths **Crimean Gothic, the Gothic language spoken b ...

basilica and medieval pilgrimage site. File:SF Pasión 2021.jpg, alt=Basilica of the Sagrada Família in Barcelona is a minor basilica of amazing beauty., Basilica of the Sagrada Família, Eixample,

Barcelona Barcelona ( , , ) is a city on the coast of northeastern Spain. It is the capital and largest city of the autonomous community of Catalonia, as well as the second most populous municipality of Spain. With a population of 1.6 million within ci ...

File:St. Mary's Basilica from Walker Art Center 2016-07-14.jpg, Basilica of Saint Mary in

Minneapolis Minneapolis () is the largest city in Minnesota, United States, and the county seat of Hennepin County. The city is abundant in water, with thirteen lakes, wetlands, the Mississippi River, creeks and waterfalls. Minneapolis has its origins ...

, MN. The first basilica established in the United States. 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 The Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception is a large minor Catholic basilica and national shrine in the United States in Washington, D.C., located at 400 Michigan Avenue Northeast, adjacent to Catholic University. ...

Washington, D.C. ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...

National and Patronal Church of Catholicism in the United States. File:Saint Pats Old Cathedral Manh jeh.JPG, Basilica of St. Patrick's Old Cathedral in

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...

, NY File:Notre dame de la paix yamoussoukro by felix krohn.jpg,

Basilica of Our Lady of Peace of Yamoussoukro The Basilica of Our Lady of Peace (french: link=no, Basilique Notre-Dame de la Paix) is a Catholic minor basilica dedicated to Our Lady of Peace in Yamoussoukro, the administrative capital of Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast). Guinness World Records l ...

Yamoussoukro Yamoussoukro (; , locally ) is the ''de jure'' capital of Ivory Coast and an autonomous district. As of the 2014 census, Yamoussoukro is the fifth most populous city in Ivory Coast with a population of 212,670. Located north-west of Abidjan, th ...

Côte d'Ivoire Ivory Coast, also known as Côte d'Ivoire, officially the Republic of Côte d'Ivoire, is a country on the southern coast of West Africa. Its capital is Yamoussoukro, in the centre of the country, while its largest city and economic centre is ...

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 s-Hertogenbosch (), colloquially known as Den Bosch (), is a city and municipality in the Netherlands with a population of 157,486. It is the capital of the province of North Brabant and its fourth largest by population. The city is south of th ...

Netherlands ) , anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau") , image_map = , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands , established_title = Before independence , established_date = Spanish Netherl ...

File:Puducherry Sacred Heart Cathedral 2.JPG,

Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Pondicherry Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Jesus ( ta, தூய இருதய ஆண்டவர் பசிலிக்கா, french: Basilique du Sacré-Cœur de Jésus de Pondichéry), situated on the south boulevard of Pondicherry in Puducherry, ...

Puducherry Puducherry or Pondicherry may refer to: * Puducherry (union territory), a union territory of India ** Pondicherry, capital of the union territory of Puducherry ** Puducherry district, a district of the union territory of Puducherry ** Puducherry t ...

References

External links

* {{CathEncy, wstitle =Basilica, author1=Gietmann, G. , author2=Thurston, Herbert
List of All Major, Patriarchal and Minor Basilicas

by Giga-Catholic Information Basilicas (Catholic Church) Catholic church buildings by type

Ranking of churches

Major and papal basilicas

Gallery of major basilicas

Minor basilicas

Papal minor basilicas

Pontifical minor basilicas

Patriarchal minor basilicas

Basilicas and pilgrimages

Ecclesiastical basilicas by region

Gallery of minor basilicas around the world

See also

References

External links