Basilicas in the Catholic Church

For a list of all the Catholic basilicas in the world, seeList of Catholic basilicas.

BasilicasareCatholicchurch buildingsthat have a designation, conferring special privileges, given by thePope.Basilicas are distinguished for ceremonial purposes from other churches. The building need not be abasilicain 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 theDiocese of Rome,or minor basilicas, of which there were 1,810 worldwide as of 2019.

Floorplan ofSan Lorenzo in Damaso,a basilica in Rome. It is built in the basilica style: a rectangular building with anaveflanked by longitudinalaisles.

Numerous basilicas are notableshrines,often even receiving significantpilgrimages,especially among the many that were built above aconfessioor 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 areCatholic pilgrimagesites, receiving tens of millions of visitors per year.

Churches designated as papal basilicas, in particular, possess a papalthroneand a papalhigh altar,at which no one may celebrateMasswithout the pope's permission.

Ranking of churches

Conopaeum(left),tintinnabulum(right), and a papal chair (middle),one of the privileges granted to a basilica

The papal or major basilicas outrank in precedence all other churches. Other rankingsput the cathedral (or co-cathedral) of a bishop ahead of all other churches in the samediocese,even if they have the title of minor basilica. If the cathedral is that of asuffragan diocese,it yields precedence to the cathedral of themetropolitansee. The cathedral of aprimateis considered to rank higher than that of other metropolitan(s) in his circumscription (usually a present or historical state). Other classifications of churches includecollegiate 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 termmajor basilicadates from 1727.

Major and papal basilicas

To the categorymajor basilicabelong only the four great churches of Rome, which among other distinctions have a specialholy doorand to which a visit is always prescribed as one of the conditions for gaining theRoman Jubilee.Only the major basilicas may prefix their titles with the adjectivesacrosancta(most holy).

• St. John Lateran,also called the Lateran Basilica. Since it is the cathedral of theDiocese of Rome,in the tradition of the Catholic Church, it has claims as theMother Churchof the world. For this reason, St John Lateran is the only church that is also known as anarchbasilica.
• St. Peter's Basilica,also called the Vatican Basilica, is a major pilgrimage site, built over the burial place ofPeter the Apostle.
• St. Paul Outside the Walls,also known as the Ostian Basilica because it is situated on the road that led toOstia,is built over the burial place ofPaul the Apostle.
• St. Mary Major,also called the Liberian Basilica because the original building (not the present one) was attributed toPope Liberius,is the largest church in Rome dedicated to theVirgin Mary.

The four major basilicas, together with the minor basilica ofSt Lawrence Outside-the-Walls,were formerly known aspatriarchal basilicasas they were associated with the five ancientpatriarchal seesof Christendom (seePentarchy). Upon relinquishing the title ofPatriarch of the Westin 2006,Pope Benedict XVIrenamed these basilicas frompatriarchal basilicastopapal basilicas.

• St. John Lateranwas associated with thePope,theBishop of Romeand thePatriarch of the West.
• St. Peter's Basilicawas associated with thePatriarch of Constantinople.
• St. Paul Outside the Wallswas associated with thePatriarch of Alexandria.
• St. Mary Majorwas associated with thePatriarch of Antioch.
• St. Lawrence Outside the Wallswas associated with thePatriarch 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 Catholic patriarchs of theMelkite,MaroniteandSyrianrites holds the title of "Patriarch of Antioch".

All five papal basilicas belong also to the categorySeven Pilgrim Churches of Rome.

Gallery of major basilicas

• 
  Archbasilica of St John Lateran
  41°53′09″N12°30′22″E
• 
  St. Peter's Basilica41°54′8″N12°27′12″E
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  Basilica of St Paul Outside-the-Walls
  41°51′31″N12°28′38″E
• 
  Basilica of St Mary Major
  41°53′51″N12°29′55″E

Minor basilicas

Theprivilegesattached to the status of minor basilica, which is conferred bypapal brief,include a certain precedence before other churches, the right of theconopaeum(abaldachinresembling an umbrella; also calledumbraculum,ombrellino,papilio,sinicchio,etc.) and the bell (tintinnabulum), which are carried side by side in procession at the head of the clergy on state occasions, and thecappa magnawhich is worn by thecanonsor secular members of thecollegiate chapterwhen assisting at theDivine Office.In the case of major basilicas these umbraculae are made ofcloth of goldand red velvet, while those of minor basilicas are made of yellow and red silk – the colors traditionally associated with both thePapal Seeand the city of Rome.

Regardingminor basilicasthe terms "papal minor basilica", "pontifical minor basilica" and "patriarchal minor basilica" are also in use.

Minor Basilica proclamation of theSt. John the Baptist Cathedralin Savannah.

Papal minor basilicas

There are threepapal minor basilicas,one in Rome,Basilica of St Lawrence Outside-the-Walls,and two inAssisiassociated withFrancis of Assisisituated in or near his home town. Architecturally, the Papal Basilica of St Francis of Assisi is anaislelessnave with lateral chapels.

• 
  Basilica of St Lawrence Outside-the-Walls,Rome
• 
  Basilica of St Francis of Assisi,Assisi
• 
  St Mary of the Angels,Assisi

Pontifical minor basilicas

There are fivepontifical minor basilicasin 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

• 
  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

Patriarchal minor basilicas

The descriptionpatriarchalapplies to two minor basilicasassociated with archbishops who have the title of patriarch – thePatriarchal Cathedral Basilica of St Markin Venice and thePatriarchal Basilica of Aquileia.

• 
  Patriarchal Cathedral Basilica of St Markin Venice
• 
  Patriarchal Basilica of Aquileia

Not all patriarchal cathedrals are minor basilicas. Notably, thePatriarchal Cathedral of St Mary Major(inLisbon,Portugal) and thePatriarchal Cathedral of Santa Catarina(inOld Goa,India) are not.

Basilicas and pilgrimages

TheBasilica of Divine Mercy,constructed in 2002 inKraków,Poland, received two million pilgrims in 2011.

In recent times, the title of minor basilica has been attributed to importantpilgrimage churches.In 1999 BishopFrancesco Giogiastated that theBasilica of Our Lady of GuadalupeinMexico City(constructed in the twentieth century) was the most visited Catholic shrine in the world, followed bySan Giovanni RotondoandBasilica of the National Shrine of Our Lady of Aparecidain Brazil.Millions of pilgrims visit the shrines ofOur Lady of LourdesandOur Lady of Fatima.Pilgrimage basilicas continue to attract well over 30 million pilgrims per year.Ireland contains two pilgrimage basilicas:Knock ShrineandSt Patrick's Purgatory(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 theSanctuary of Our Lady of Fátimawith crowds that approach one million on each day.In December 2009 the Basilica ofOur Lady of Guadalupeset a new record with 6.1 million pilgrims during Friday and Saturday for the anniversary of Our Lady of Guadalupe.

Ecclesiastical basilicas by region

As of 31 December 2020,there are 1,881 Roman Catholic churches that bear the title of basilica.

Region	Basilicas
West Europe	1,116
East Europe	244
North America	152
Central America	26
South America	240
South and East Asia	59
Central and Southwest Asia	12
Oceania	8
Western and Northern Africa	14
Eastern and Central Africa	9
Southern Africa	1
Total	1,881

St. Mary's Cathedralin Ernakulam, India is the Episcopal See of theSyro-Malabar Catholic Church.The cathedral was elevated to the status of basilica byPope Paul VIon 20 March 1974.St. George Forane Churchin Angamaly, also of the Syro-Malabar rite, was raised to the status of basilica on 24 June 2009 byPope Benedict XVI.

On 10 May 1997Pope John Paul IIvisitedthe Basilica of Our Lady of Lebanonin Harissa, Lebanon. The basilica is under theMaronite Catholic Patriarchate.TheBasilica and National Shrine of Our Lady of Lebanonin North Jackson, Ohio, US is under the jurisdiction of theEparchy of Our Lady of Lebanon.The shrine was elevated to the status of a minor basilica byPope Francison 8 July 2014.

Gallery of minor basilicas around the world

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  Basilica of the Sacred Heart,Montmartre,Paris
• 
  Koekelberg Basilica,Brussels
• 
  Cathedral-Basilica of the Immaculate Conception,Manila,Philippines
• 
  Notre-Dame Basilica,inMontreal,Canada
• 
  Basilica of Saint Maternus,Walcourtis aGothicbasilica and medieval pilgrimage site.
• 
  Basilica of the Sagrada Família,Eixample,Barcelona
• 
  Basilica of Saint MaryinMinneapolis,MN.The first basilica established in the United States.
• 
  Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate ConceptioninWashington, D.C.National and Patronal Church of Catholicism in the United States.
• 
  Basilica of St. Patrick's Old CathedralinNew York,NY
• 
  Basilica of Our Lady of Peace of YamoussoukroinYamoussoukro,Côte d'Ivoire
• 
  St. John's Cathedralin's-Hertogenbosch,Netherlands
• 
  Basilica of the Sacred Heart of JesusinPuducherry,India

See also

• Architecture of cathedrals and great churches
• Catholic Marian church buildings
• Duomo
• List of Catholic basilicas

External links

• Gietmann, G.; Thurston, Herbert (1913)."Basilica".In Herbermann, Charles (ed.).Catholic Encyclopedia.New York: Robert Appleton Company.
• List of All Major, Patriarchal and Minor Basilicas&statisticsby Giga-Catholic Information